''V       ';< 


((♦^>'>>i>->,jcj:<t*; 


Illustrated 


:•»■: 


U^M 


"^MMS 


Battle-Field  ^-^^  Hospital ; 


OR, 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  THE 
GREAT  REBELLION. 


INCLUDING 


Thrilung  Adventures,  Daring  Deeds,  Heroic  Exploits,  and  Wonderful 

Escapes  of  Spies  and  Scouts,  together  with  the  Songs, 

Ballads,  Anecdotes,  and  Humorous  Incidents 

OF  the  War. 


By  Dr.  L  P.  BROCKETT, 

author  of  "  our  great  captains,"  "  philanthropic  results  of  the 

war,"  "  life  of  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,"  "  HISTORY  OF  THE  CIVIL 
WAR   IN  THE  UNITED  STATES,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


UNION  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 
New  York  City. 


Copyrighted  according  to  Act  of  Congress. 


TO 

THE     SOLDIERS    AND     SAILORS 

OP    THE 

rOLUNTIER  AND   REOULAB    SERVICE   OP    THE   UNITED    STATES, 

TO   THE   NOBLE    WOMEN, 

WHO,    IN   THE    CAMP,    ON    THE    BATTLEFIELD, 

AND    IN    THE    HOSPITAL, 

HAVE 

MINISTERED  TO  THE  SICK,  THE  WOUNDED  AND  THE  DYING, 

AND 

TO    THE    WIVES,    MOTHERS,    AND    SISTERS, 

WHO    HAVE 

eiYEN   Xrp  THEIR   HUSBANDS,    SONS   AND  BROTHERS 

FKEELT    TO 

PRESERVE   THE    NATION'S   LIFE, 
THIS    BOOK    IS    BESPEOTFULLT     DEDICATXDl 


PREFACE. 


rma  book,  friendly  reader,  was  not  created ;  Uke  Topsy,  "  U 
growed."     The  author  or  compiler,  whichever  term  yon  may 
choose  to  give  him.  had  for  four  years  past  been  a  not  uninter- 
ested observer  of  the  great  struggle,  which  it  had  been  his  duty 
elsewhere  to  chronicle.    In  his  researches  into  the  causes  and 
events  of  the  war,  its  fearful  battles,  its  alternations  of  Hght  and 
shadow,  its  changes  of  policy,  and  its  final  and  glorious  triumphs, 
he  had  had  abundant  occasion  to  notice  those  personal  achieve- 
ments,  those  noble  sacrifices,  and  that  fearless  devotion  to  the 
national  cause  which  have  so  greatly  distinguished  this  conflict 
In  the  pages  of   a  history  of  the  war,  such  narratives  and 
incidents  could  find  no  place;  yet  it  seemed  unjust  to  the  great 
Bouls  who  had  laid  every  thing  upon  their  country's  altar,  with- 
out  a  murmur  or  a  sigh,  that  their  glorious  sacrifices  should 
rot  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance;  and  it  was  from  the 
desire  to  do  some  justice  to  their  memory,  that  at  an  early 
day  the  writer  commenced,  at  first  for  his  own  private  read 
ing  merely,  the  collection  of  narratives  and  incidents  of  per 
Bonal  adventure  and  sacrifice  in  the  war.     Some  of  these  were 
found  in  print,  in  books,  periodicals,  and  newspapers;  others 
were  preserved  in  the  annals  or  reports  of  charitable  institu- 
tions, like  the  Sanitary  and  Christian  Commissions;  a  few  had 
found  record  from  a  poet's  pen,  and  a  considerable  number 

(6i 


6  PREFACE. 

though  matters  of  oral  tradition,  had  never  appeared  in  print 
but  were  gleaned  from  the  narrations  of  the  parties  themselves 
or  their  friends.  The  garnering  of  these  was  a  work  of  great 
delight  to  the  writer,  and  aa  time  passed  on  he  felt  desirous 
that  others  should  share  the  pleasure  he  had  enjoyed,  in  the 
perusal  oi  the  heroic  deeds  of  his  countrymen  and  country- 
women ;  and  so  the  book  grew  into  such  form  and  symmetry 
as  it  now  possesses.  In  the  hands  of  the  American  public  he 
leaves  it,  with  the  conviction  that  they  will  be  lenient  to  any 
faults  they  may  observe  in  it,  and  will  appreciate  his  honest 
tnd  pains-taking  endeavor  to  present  to  them  a  record  of  some 
of  the  personal  adventures  and  incidents  of  the  war. 


CONTENTS. 


rAGB 

A  Nameless  Spy 26 

A  Female  Scout  and  Spy • oo 

Adventures  of  Harry  Newcomer '3 

Amusing  Instance  of  Rebel  Desertion 130 

A  Heroine  and  Martyr 346 

Adventure  of  a  Spy "^^^ 

A  Good  Use  of  Koman  Candles 4o* 

Acre  of  Fire,  The 47b 

Bible  Smith 165 

Brave  Irishman,  A ^^3 

Brave  "Wisconsin  Boy,  The '167 

Ballad  of  Ishmael  Day 49y 

Corporal  Pike,  Scout  and  Eanger 34 

Capturing  a  Locomotive l^J 

Cavalry  Fight  at  Brandy  Station,  The ^41 

Capture  of  Mission  Kidge,  The 249 

Challenging  the  Sentinel 3^0 

Cutting  Otrthe  Supplies ^11 

Contrabands  in  the  War,  The 4^* 

Colonel   Innis ^^4 

Coolness  and  Fortitude  of  a  Union  Soldier ow 

Conduct  of  the  Colored  Troops oO& 

Destruction  of  "Albemarle,"  The 469 

Dark  Shadow,  A 3b8 

Daring  Scout  and  Spy,  A ^^^ 

Drawing  Rations 3/^ 

Disappointed  Bummer,  The f^^ 

Driving  Home  the  Cows 4;(^ 

Death  of  John,  The ' 3U4 

Farmer's  Contribution 3o6 

Fight  with  the  "Albemarle,"  The 4o9 

Fighting  Parson,   A ^2Z 

Foraging .....•• '' 

Foraging  by  Veteran  Soldiers ^^^ 

General  Palmer  and  the  Hog 1^|J  i 

God's  Flag ••••• il'!;- 

General  Pope  and  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War ^-^^A 

General  Banks ^^J 

Giving  For  the  "Wounded  Soldiers ■•■■••  fi^ 

Gallant   Boy,  A 4b» 

General  Sumner  at  Fair  Oaks ?' ' 

General  Ransom 

Horse  Marine's  Story,  The |^^ 

How  the  Prisoners  Escajied ^_^ 

How  the  Soldiers  "  Took  Their  Ease  in  Their  Inn    ^'^ 

How  a  Yankee  Soldier  Kept  a  Hotel  in  Dixie ^2^ 

Hetty  McEwen 4'"* 


4  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Irish  Sentinel,  The 72 

Incidents  of  Grierson's  llaid 376 

John  Davis,  the  Heroic  Sailor 490 

Keller  or  Kilklare 131 

Little   Hero,    A 412 

Loyalty  of  a  Charlestown  Woman,  The 494 

Moore  and  Blue 11 

Mother  Bickerdyke,  "The  Soldiers'  Friend" 293 

Military  Etiquette 345 

M  iss  Melvina  Stevens 3G5 

Making  a  Clean  Sweep 385 

Morgan's  Men 414 

My  Capture  and  Escape  from  Mosby 416 

]S^arrative  of  Captain  John  Porter,  Jr 2S0 

Night  Scene  in  a   Hospital 370 

One  Man  Capturing  a  Dozen '. 409 

One  of  Logan's  Men 475 

Old  Bradley 480 

Old  Burns,  the  Hero  of  Gettysburg 501 

Parson  Brownlow's  Daughter 397 

Pauline  Cushman "...  100 

Prayer  of  the  Wicked,  The 33 

Passage  of  Port  Hudson  Batteries,  The 224 

Pen  Mightier  than  the  Sword,  The 387 

Running  the  Batteries  at  Yicksburg 235 

Komantic  Incident  of  the  War,  A 358 

Kefusing  to  Volunteer  in  the   Rebel  Army 279 

Robinson,  the  Wounded  Soldier 316 

Rachel  Somers,  the  Noble   Mother 331 

Rallying  a  Flying  Brigade 368 

Romance  of  the  War 303 

Religious  Sentiment  in  the  Army,   The 394 

Scouting  in  East  Tennessee 157 

Sheridan  at  Middletown 267 

Somebody's  Darling 367 

Sergeant  Halts  a* Whole  Regiment,  A 406 

"Sold  Again" ; 410 

"Set  'Em  Up  on  T'other  Alley" 412 

"Suffer  Most,   Love  ISlost" 479 

Soldier's  Guardian  Angel 333 

Three  Soldiers  Captured  by  a  Boy  with  a  Coffee-pot 190 

That  Pig 380 

Trying  to  Persuade  Mr.  Greeley  to  Enlist 456 

Unacceptable  Gratitude 360 

Veterans  of  Militia 411 

Vicksburg  Scow,  The 363 

Wrong  Side  of  the  Curve,  The 204 

AVoman's  Pluck   and  Patriotism,  A 400 

Wounded  Color-Bearer,  A 496 

Youngest  Soldier  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  The 282 

Zagonvi's  Charge 210 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Moore  and  Blue Frontispiece. 

Union  Soldikrs  Pursued  by  Bloodhounds 16 

Major-General  ScnoFiELD,  v.  S.  A 32 

Major-General  O.  O.  Howard,  the  One-armed  Hero 48 

"I'sE  Free  and  Allus  Was" 64 

Battle  Heroes 80 

Heroes  of  Lookout  Mountain 96 

"I'm  Only  Sorry  I  Didn't  Kill  More  of  You" 112 

The  Fury  of  Battle  Hosts 128 

Fate  of  the  Heroic  General 144 

In  Lieu  of  Keys * 160 

"Come,  Gentlemen,  None  o'  That" 176 

Defending  the  Commissariat   192 

Obstructing  the  Train 208 

Zagyoni's  Charge 224 

A  Stroke  That  Told 240 

After  the  First  Day's  Battle 256 

A  Yankee  Command  to  Countermarch 272 

A  Bivouac 288 

Mother  Bickerdyke  and  the  Unfaithful  Subgeon 304 

The  Dead  Hero's  Companion  320 

General  John  A.  Logan 336 

Entering  the  Enemy's  Country 352 

Cutting  the  Wires 368 

The  Country  Must  be  Saved  if  it  Takes  Every  Chicken  in  the 

Confederacy 384 

Parson  Brownlow's  Daughter 400 

There  is  a  Copperhead 416 

The  Rescue 432 

Caituhing  the  Flag 448 

Old  Bradley 464 

Old  Burns,  the  Hero  of  Gettysburg 480 

BuAViNu  Mike  and  Fever 496 


MOORE   AND  BLUE, 

THE   KANSAS  SCOUTS. 

The  border  ruffian  warfare,  which  had  been  waged 
for  several  years  in  Kansas  and  Western  Missouri,  before 
the  rebellion,  was  admirably  calculated  to  train  up  num- 
bers of  daring,  adventurous  spirits,  to  whom  life  would 
be  altogether  too  tame,  unless  there  were  dangers  to 
face,  foes  to  outwit,  and  hazards  to  run.  Among  these, 
few  have  led  lives  of  more  extraordinary  danger  and 
lawless  adventure,  and  at  the  same  time  made  interest- 
ing by  a  more  firm  and  enduring  friendship,  than  the 
two  young  scouts  whose  history  we  sketch  from  the 
annals  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland. 

In  1856,  two  young  men — Frank  M.  Blue,  formerly 
of  Michigan,  but  now  from  Illinois,  and  Henry  W. 
Moore,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  met  in  Leavenworth  City, 
Kansas,  whither  they  had  come  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
empting  land  in  that  territory.  Taking  a  fancy  for 
each  other,  they  set  out  for  the  interior  in  company. 
At  Ossawatamie  they  met  John  Brown,  joined  him  in 
scouting  after  border  ruffians,  and  participated  in  the 
fght    at    Hickory  Point,  where    Brown,  his  son,  and 

II 


12      NAERATIVES    OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

twenty-seven  men,  routed  forty  of  them  strongly  p  sted 
in  a  blacksmith's  shop,  by  backing  up  against  it  a  load 
of  hay,  and  burning  them  out.  Leaving  Brown,  they 
next  went  to  Jennison's  camp  at  Mound  City,  which 
was  made  in  such  a  shape  as  to  resemble  a  group  of 
hay-stacks.  While  here,  they,  in  company  with  eight 
others,  crossed  the  Missouri  river,  surprised  the  town 
of  Kushville,  capturing  thirty  border  rufhans  and  a 
number  of  the  citizens,  broke  their  guns,  and  carried 
away  their  horses,  money,  watches,  etc.  Afterward  they 
joined  the  Utah  Expedition,  under  General  A.  S.  John 
ston,  and  with  it  went  through  to  Salt  Lake  City 
Leaving  there  on  their  own  responsibility,  the  fame  of 
the  Mexican  silver  mines  attracted  them  to  Peubla, 
where  they  remained  four  months,  in  company  with  a 
mixed  crowd  of  miners,  Indians,  and  Mexican  peons. 
Having  accumulated  a  considerable  amount  of  silver, 
the  spirit  of  adventure  led  them  to  Santa  Fe,  where, 
some  of  the  party  getting  themselves  into  a  dijQ5culty, 
a  hasty  flight  northward  became  necessary.  Procuring 
a  Mexican  boro  (jackass),  and  loading  him  with  a  few 
crackers  and  their  personal  effects,  they  set  out  for  Fort 
Union,  one  hundred  miles  distant.  Here  they  procured 
a  mule,  and  crossed  over  to  Bent's  Fort,  where  they 
joined  the  Kiowa  Expedition,  under  Major  Sedgwick. 
Returning  from  this,  they  proceeded  to  Camp  Floyd, 
and  thence  across  Kiowa  Pass  to  Pike's  Peak,  where 
they  "jumped"  a  claim,  and  went  to  mining.  Here 
they  spent  the  summer,  and  in  the  fall  hired  to  Joe 
Doyle,  a  Mexican  trader  and  ranchero,  to  go  down  the 
Waifoma  river  and  oversee  his  peons  and  take  charge 
of  his  herds.     Remaiiing  all  winter  on  his  ranch,  they 

RBO 
Ncq 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND  DETECTIVES.       13 

went  again  next  spring  to  Leavenworth,  and  hired  aa 
riders  to  the  California  Overland  Express  Company,  in 
which  business  they  remained  until  the  outbreak  of  the 

rebellion. 

With  the  prospect  of  active  service,  they  could  nd. 
etand  idly  by  and  see  others  engaged,  and  accordingly 
recruited   ten   men,  with  whom   they  joined   Captain 
William  Cleaveland's  independent  company  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  Kansas  border.     Their  first  exploit  was  a 
dash  into  De  Kalb,  Missouri,  where  they  captured  twelve 
or  fourteen  prisoners  and  forty  horses  and  mules.     A 
large  party,  however,  pursued  them,  overtook  and  cap- 
tured   them    at   Atkinson's  ferry,  carried  them  to  St. 
Joseph,  and  lodged  them  m  jail.     The  good  people  of 
St.  Joseph  were  very  anxious  to  have  them  tried  and 
Bent  to  the  penitentiary  at  once ;  but  there  was  no  court 
in  session,  and  the  only  recourse  was  to  lock  them  up  in 
the  jail,  where  they  did  not  remain  long.     The  guard 
was  made  drunk  with  drugged  whiskey,  the  negro  cook 
was  bribed  with  a  twenty  dollar  gold  piece  to  steal  the 
keys  from  the  jailer,  the  door  was  unlocked  at  mid- 
night, and  the  whole  party  walked  out  just  ten  days 
after  they  had  been  incarcerated.     One  John  Seelover, 
a  friend,  had  a  skiff  near  at  hand  to  cross  them  over  the 
nver,  and  a  conveyance  on  the  other  side  to  take  them 
to  Atchison  the  same  night.     The  next  night,  nothing 
daunted  by  their^ recent  jail  experience,  the  same  party 
crossed  in  a  flat  boat  to  Missouri,  captured  from  the  rebel 
farmers  horses  enough  to  mount  themselves,  and  returned 
again,  after  giving  the  people  thereabouts  a  good  scare. 
The  evening  following,  a  negro   came  to  their  head- 
•juarters  at  Pardee,  eight  miles  from  Atchison,  and  said 


14      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES. 

that  his  rebel  master,  John  Wells  by  name,  and  living 
twelve  miles  south  of  St.  Joseph,  was  to  leave  the  next 
morning  for  Price's  army  with  two  wagon  loads  of  goods 
and  a  coffin  full  of  arms.  The  company  started  over 
immediately,  the  negro  acting  as  guide.  The  rebel  was 
found,  and  so  were  the  goods,  consisting  of  bacon,  Hour, 
sugar,  coffee,  tobacco,  whiskey,  powder,  and  lead,  but  no 
arms.  Demand  was  made  for  the  latter,  but  the  pris- 
oner denied  having  any.  A  lariat  was  then  thrown 
over  his  neck,  and  drawn  tight  for  a  few  minutes,  when 
he  disclosed  their  place  of  concealment — a  newly-made 
grave,  with  head  and  footboard — in  which  were  found 
twenty  stands  of  arms  of  all  kindsj  and  a  box  of  pistols, 
all  of  which  were  taken  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  and 
turned  over  to  the  United  States  Government. 

Many  other  expeditions  were  made,  until  Cleaveland 
and  his  band  were  known  and  feared  all  over  that 
country.  On  one  of  these,  it  was  ascertained  that  Major 
Hart,  of  Price's  army,  was  at  his  home,  fifteen  mile? 
from  Weston,  with  ten  men.  The  company  immedi- 
ately set  forth  to  capture  them,  a  woman — Mrs.  Chandler 
— acting  as  guide.  The  Major,  his  men,  and  the  stock 
on  his  farm  were  taken  and  carried  to  Geary  City, 
Kansas,  where  the  stock  was  just  put  away  and  twelve 
men  left  as  a  guard  over  the  prisoners,  when  forty  Mis- 
Bourians  rode  up  and  demanded  their  surrender.  Chand- 
ler, who  stood  in  the  porch,  said  they  would  never  sur- 
render— when  he  was  shot  dead,  eleven  bullets  being 
found  in  his  body.  His  wife  and  the  remainder  fired 
from  the  house,  and  picked  them  ofi"  so  fast,  that  they 
were  compelled  to  retire  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  eight 
miles  distant,  -g  hence  they  brought  up  a  company  of  the 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETEC.TVES.       15 

First  Missouri  Cavalry,  under  Captain  Fuller,  to  their 
assiskince,  and  finally  succeeded  in  capturing  the  little 
garrison.  They  were  taken  to  the  fort,  and,  no  one 
appearing  against  them,  were  speedily  released  by  Major 
Prince,  of  the  U.  S.  Regulars,  commanding  the  post. 
Not  long  after  this,  Moore,  Blue,  William  Tuff,  of  Bal- 
timore, and  Cleaveland,  dashed  into  Kansas  City,  and 
levied  a  contribution  of  some  thirty-three  hundred  dollars 
in  coin  upon  two  secession  bankers  who  had  rebel  flags 
flying  at  their  windows.  They  were  pursued,  but  made 
their  escape,  divided  the  money  equally,  and  all  four 
went  to  Chicago  to  spend  it,  which  they  did  most 
liberally  ;  and  in  June,  1861,  returned  to  Leavenworth. 
Here  Moore  and  Blue,  who  had  become  fast  friends, 
separated ;  the  latter  going  into  Missouri  on  several  jay- 
hawking  expeditions,  and  the  former  acting  as  guide  to 
General  Sturgis,  and  participating  in  the  battles  of  Dug 
Spring  and  Wilson  Creek.  Moore  relates  many  interest- 
ing adventures  which  befell  him  while  thus  engaged,  of 
which,  one  is  here  given  as  an  illustration  of  his  shrewd- 
ness and  foresight.  Having  been  sent  by  General  Lyon 
to  ascertain  about  certain  guerillas  that  were  lurking 
about  the  country,  he  dressed  himself  in  butternut  uni- 
form, and  set  out.  Thinking,  however,  that  he  might 
be  captured  on  the  trip,  he  determined  to  avail  himself 
of  a  trick  he  had  somewhere  read  of;  which  was,  to 
take  a  large  minie  ball,  cut  the  top  off,  hollow  it  out, 
and  then  take  the  other  part  and  make  of  it  a  screw  to 
fit  on  again,  thus  forming  a  kind  of  little  box.  He  thea 
took  a  piece  of  parchment  paper,  and  writing  on  it,  in  a 
peculiar  hand,  a  commission  in  the  secret  service  of  the 
Confederate  aimy,  and  signing  to  it  the  !iame  of  General 


16      NARRATIVES  OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES. 

Price,  enclosed  it  in  the  bullet,  screwed  it  up,  and  started 
on  again.  He  had  gone  but  a  little  way  when,  sure 
enough,  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  Sy  Gordon's  guerilla 
band,  who  proposed  hanging  him  at  once.  Gordon  told 
him  he  had  orders  to  hang  all  such  suspicious  characters 
as  he  was,  and  that  he  should  do  it.  Moore  replied  that 
he  hsA  very  little  to  say,  b>at  he  wished  he  would  do 
him  the  favor  to  take  that  bullet  to  Gene^-al  Price  after 
he  had  hung  him.  Gordon  seemed  much  amused  at  so 
trifling  a  request,  and  said  to  his  prisoner  that  he  must 
be  either  crazy  or  a  fool.  When  informed  that  there 
was  more  about  the  bullet  than  he  had  any  idea  of,  he 
insisted  that  he  should  be  shown  what  it  was;  but 
Moore  refused,  saying  that  he  was  sworn  to  say  nothing 
about  it.  Gordon  was  nonplussed  for  a  while,  but,  ex- 
amining the  bullet  very  closely,  soon  saw  the  trick,  un  • 
screwed  the  top,  and  took  out  and  read  the  contents. 
Turning  to  Moore,  he  told  him  he  was  "  all  right,"  and 
furnished  him  with  a  better  horse  than  he  then  had,  on 
which  he  at  once  started  back.  On  arriving  at  camp, 
he  related  his  adventure,  whereupon  a  body  of  cavalry 
was  sent  out  in  pursuit,  and  the  next  day  succeeded  in 
capturing  a  number  of  the  band. 

Late  in  the  fall,  Moore  and  Blue  again  met  in  Leaven- 
worth, and  both  went  toward  Springfield  as  guides  and 
spies  for  Lane  and  Sturgis's  commands.  On  Christmas 
day,  both  were  sent  by  General  Steele  into  Price's  camp, 
whither  they  went,  and  returned  on  January  3d,  1862. 
Four  miles  from  Warsaw,  they  found  Christmas  was 
being  celebrated  Ijy  a  ball,  at  which  many  rebel  officers 
were  present,  In  company  with  some  rebel  teamsters, 
they  devised  a  plan  to  scare  these  officers  off,  and  secure 


NARRATI\Ti:S   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       17 

to  themselves  the  field  and  the  girls,  by  rushing  up  tc 
the  house  and  shouting,  at  the  top  of  their  voice8, 
•'*  The  Feds  are  coming !  the  Feds  are  coining !"  The 
plan  worked  admirably  :  the  officers  rushed  away  in  hot 
haste — one  even  falling  into  the  well — and  our  plotters 
were  left  in  full  possession  of  the  premises.  Coming 
back  to  Sedalia,  they  were  engaged  by  Colonel  Weir  as 
guides.  Going  ahead  one  day  to  select  a  camping  ground, 
they  came  to  a  house  where  was  a  man  very  hospitably 
inclined,  asking  them  to  stop,  put  up  their  horses  and 
feed  them  with  corn,  of  which  he  had  plenty.  Repre- 
senting that  they  had  been  pressed  into  the  service,  but 
were  in  heart  with  the  rebels,  their  entertainer  grew 
confidential,  and  told  them  something  about  himself— 
that  he  acted  as  a  spy,  carried  despatches  wrapped  in  a 
cigar,  etc.  The  information  thus  obtained  from  him, 
contributed  to  the  capture,  by  General  Pope,  at  Black- 
water,  of  thirteen  hundred  rebels,  with  all  their  equip- 
ments. They  accompanied  General  Pope  on  his  <3xpedi- 
tion  to  Warrensburg,  where  he  captured  Colonel  Parke'a 
rebel  force ;  and  then  returned  to  Kansas,  where  they 
jayhawked  for  a  month  or  two.  Going  again  to  Mi» 
souri,  they  learned  that  Quantrell's  guerilla  band  was  in 
the  vicinity  of  Independence.  With  eleven  comrades, 
chey  went  there,  captured  the  town,  quartered  themselves 
in  the  court  house,  and  badly  frightened  the  people,  who 
thought,  of  course,  that  they  were  only  the  advance- 
guard  of  a  larger  body  behind.  Quantrell  soon  came 
into  the  place  with  forty-five  men,  and  demanded  their 
surrender.  This  was  refused,  and  a  skirmish  commenced, 
the  occupants  of  the  court  house  firing  out  of  the  doors 
and  windows,  and  finally  succeeded  in   dispersing  the 


18      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

besiegers,  who  went  off  for  reinforcements.  The  thirteen 
now  thought  it  best  to  retire,  which  they  did,  skirmish- 
ing for  one  and  a  half  miles  to  a  stone  fence,  when  the 
guerillas  mounted.  The  jay  hawkers  now  ensconced 
themselves  behind  the  fence.  Holding  their  position 
until  dusk,  they  then  scattered,  having  killed  five  and 
wounded  seven  of  the  guerillas.  Pursuit  was  made  by 
the  latter ;  but  the  darkness  enabled  them  to  escape, 
and  they  soon  put  an  effectual  end  to  it  by  cutting  the 
telegraph  wire,  and  stretching  it  across  the  road  from 
fence  to  fence. 

The  twain  now  joined  Generals  Curtis  and  Sigel  as 
couriers,  and  made  several  dangerous  trips  between  the 
army  and  Rolla,  carrying  despatches  each  wa^'',  on  one 
of  which  Blue  was  taken  prisoner  and  held  as  such  for 
six  weeks.  Both  accompanied  General  Curtis  in  his 
terrible  march  through  Arkansas  to  Helena,  and  met 
with  many  stirring  adventures  by  the  way.  One  day 
while  they  were  riding  in  company  with  Newton  Blue, 
a  brother  of  Frank  and  also  a  scout,  they  came  suddenly 
upon  five  rebels  in  a  lane,  with  whom  they  stopped  and 
talked  for  some  time,  representing  themselves  as  Southern 
men.  The  rebels  soon  heard  a  bugle  behind  them,  how- 
ever, and,  suspecting  all  was  not  right,  made  a  charge 
upon  our  scouts,  who  killed  three  of  them  and  captured 
their  horses,  the  remaining  two  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  Federal  advance.  At  Helena  they  engaged  in  buying 
cotton  for  the  speculators,  and  in  one  of  their  excur- 
sions were  captured  by  the  guerillas.  Pretending  to  be 
rebels,  they  joined  a  portion  of  Jeff  Thompson's  gang, 
and,  remaining  with  them  eleven  days,  obtained  much 
information  concerning'  him.     Having  had  enough  of 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   Ax\D   DETECTIYES.      19 

guerilla  life,  they  planned  an  escape,  in  this  wise.  An 
old  negro,  of  whom  they  knew,  was  Just  goin-  into 
Helena°with  a  load  of  cotton  for  sale.  By  him  they 
Bent  woid  to  General  Steele  of  an  arrangement  which 
had  heen  made  to  roh  him  on  his  return  of  the  proceeds 
of  the  cotton.  The  message  was  carried  and  delivered 
faithfully,  and  on  his  way  back  the  negro  was  robbed, 
as  proposed,  of  his  eleven  hundred  dollars  in  greenbacks, 
which  were  found  hidden  away  in  his  boots ;  but  just  aa 
the  thirty-one  guerillas  were  dividing  the  spoils,  the 
second  battalion  of  the  first  Missouri  Cavalry  came  up 
and  captured  the  whole  party,  all  of  whom  were  subse- 
quently sent  to  St.  Louis  as  prisoners. 

From  Helena  Moore  and  Blue  next  went  to  Columbia, 
and  then  to  Corinth,  where  they  detected  and  arrested 
two  counterfeiters,  making  a  great  haul  of  counterfeit 
St.  Louis  city  treasury  warrants  and  gold  dollars,  both 
of  which  were  well  executed.     Accompanying  Colonel 
Truesdail's  police  force  to  Louisville,  they  there  played 
the  rebel,  and  hunted  out  Palmer  and  Estes,  who  burned 
the  ammunition  steamers  at  Columbus  and  were  after- 
ward sent  to  Camp  Chase.     With  our  army  they  came 
on  to  Nashville,  and  afterward  ran  as  mail  messengers— 
a  very  dangerous  service.     Getting  on  the  track  of  a 
band  of  guerillas  between  BowUng  Gieen  and  Nash- 
ville, they  piloted  a  cavalry  force  to  the  neighborhood, 
and  captured  a  considerable  number,  who  were  brought 
to  Nashville  and  were  properly  dealt  with.     They  next 
made  a  successful  spy  trip  to  Murfreesboro,  going  by 
way  of  Lavergne  and  crossing  at  Sanders'  Ferry.     Dr. 
Goodwin,  of  the  rebel  army,  whom  they  had  ftillen  in 
with  on  the  way,  vouched  for  them,  and  they  passed 


20      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

the  pickets  into  the  town  readily  enough.  Once  in, 
they  mp.de  the  circuit  of  the  town  and  camps,  obtaining 
all  the  information  they  could,  and  then  began  to  think 
of  getting  back.  It  was  arranged  that  Moore  should  go 
to  Chattanooga  for  further  observation,  while  Blue  would 
return  to  Nashville  and  report  what  they  had  already 
seen  and  heard.  With  this  understanding,  both  went 
at  once  to  the  provost-marshal's  office  for  passes.  At 
that  time  Captain  Williams  was  provost-marshal,  whom 
they  found  somewhat  crabbed  and  chary  of  words. 
Making  known  their  wants,  they  were  saluted  in  this 
manner : — 

"  Want  a  pass  to  Chattanooga,  do  you?  Lots  of 
people  in  that  fix.     What  d'ye  want  to  go  there  for  ?" 

"  We  want  to  join  Jack  Jones's  cavalry  company," 
replied  Moore,  at  a  venture,  who  had  heard  of  such  a 
company. 

"  If  that's  all  you  want,  you  needn't  go  to  Chattar 
aooga  for  it.     Jones  and  his  company  are  here  now." 

This  was  a  new  and  not  pleasing  phase  of  afiairs ;  and, 
to  add  to  their  difficulty.  Captain  Brenton  called  Jones 
in  at  once,  and  told  him  here  were  two  men  who  wished 
to  join  his  company,  and  he'd  better  have  them  swoni 
in  right  away.  Fairly  caught  in  their  own  trap,  thei*6 
was  no  escape,  and,  trusting  the  future  to  good  luck, 
they  yielded  to  their  fate,  and  were  sworn  in.  Three 
days  afterward,  they  with  three  others  were  detailed  to 
duty  on  the  second  picket  line,  and  determined  to  take 
advantage  of  this  opportunity  and  make  their  escape. 
Some  distance  from  their  station  was  a  house  where 
whiskey  could  be  obtained  ^t  exorbit^int  prices;  and 
Moore  and  Blue  proposed  tc  their  companions  that  if 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.      21 

they  would  go  and  get  the  whiskey  they  would  pay  for 
it,  and  guard  the  post  during  their  absence.  This  was 
agreed  to;  and  the  whiskey  seekers  were  hardly  out  of 
eight  when  our  two  scouts  rode  off  in  hot  haste  to  the 
outer  pickets,  two  guards  being  on  duty  in  the  road, 
the  remainder  of  the  pickets  being  near  by  at  their  fire, 
and  their  horses  tied  close  at  hand.  They  were  accosted 
by  the  guard  with  the  usual — 

"Halt!  who  comes  there  ?" 

"  Friends,  with  the  countersign !"  was  the  answer. 

"  Dismount ;  advance,  one,  and  give  the  countersign," 
was  now  the  order. 

Our  scouts  had  foreseen  this,  and  planned  accordingly. 
Hence,  they  rode  up  briskly  to  the  pickets  ;  and  while 
they  pulled  and  tugged  upon  the  bridle  reins  to  hold  in 
their  fiery  steeds,  the  spurs  upon  their  heels  were  doing 
equally  good  service  in  urging  the  animals  forward,  and 
they  could  not  be  stopped  until  abreast  of  the  pickets 
and  nearly  touching  their  opposing  muskets.  Moore 
then  leaned  forward,  without  dismounting,  as  if  to  give 
the  password,  and  suddenly  jerked  to  one  side  the 
bayonet  and  loaded  gun  of  the  nearest  guard,  while  with 
his  other  hand  he  shot  him  dead  with  his  pistol,  sud- 
denly drawn  from  his  holster.  The  ball  penetrated  the 
forehead,  the  guard  falling  over  backward,  his  mouth 
wide  opened.  Blue  at  the  same  time  drew  a  pistol  and 
shot  the  other  guard  dead  in  his  tracks,  and  away  they 
flew  down  the  road,  and  were  speedily  lost  in  the  dark- 
ness and  distance.  The  rest  of  the  rebel  pickets  did  noi 
pursue  them,  but  our  scouts  could  hear  them  shout  after 

them  long  and  loudly,  "Oh,  you infernal  Yankees!" 

etc.,  etc.    The  scouts  soon  tock  totha  woods,  travelling 


22      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

all  night  in  the  direction  of  Nashville,  and  meeting  witlj 
no  further  adventure  until  soon  after  sunrise,  when  one 
of  them  espied  a  moving  object  in  their  front,  at  a  con- 
siderable distance.  A  second  glance  revealed  it  to  be  a 
"butternut,"  with  gun  in  hand,  who  at  that  instant 
glided  behind  a  tree  and  took  deliberate  aim  at  them. 
Our  scouts,  who  were  also  in  butternut,  were  not  taken 
aback.  Keeping  on  at  an  easy  horse  walk,  and  appa- 
rently noticing  no  one,  one  of  them  begins  to  sing,  in 
a  brisk,  cheery  voice,  a  verse  of  the  "Dixie"  song, 
ending — 

"  In  a  Southern  land  I'll  take  my  stand, 
And  live  and  die  in  Dixie,"  etc. 

As  they  neared  the  butternut,  he  was  observed  to 
lower  his  gun  and  emerge  from  behind  the  tree.  When 
abreast,  he  accosted  the  twain  : — 

"  Halloo,  boys !  which  way  ?" 

"  All  right ! — ^taking  a  little  scout  this  morning,"  was 
the  answer. 

The  *'  butternut,"  who  was  a  rebel  scout  or  guerilla, 
was  now  near  them,  unsuspecting,  and  inclined  to  be  in- 
quisitive and  sociable,  his  gun  over  his  shoulder.  But 
our  men  were  in  haste,  and  had  a  vivid  remembrance  of 
that  previous  moment  when  he  had  drawn  a  bead  on 
them,  in  such  a  cold-blooded  manner,  from  behind  the 
tree.  One  of  them  draws  his  revolver  as  quick  as  thought 
and  shoots  him  dead ;  and  again  they  ride  forward  briskly 
for  a  while,  and  eventually  reach  the  Federal  lines  neai 
Nashville  in  safety,  but  through  dangers  to  be  feared 
upon  every  hand,  from  behind  each  tree,  or  rock,  or 
bush — as  they  were  traversing  debatable  land,  between 
two  great  contending  armies,  and  known  to  be  swarming 


NARRAriYES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.       25 

with  scouts,  spies,  and  troops,  and  especially  rebel  gue- 
rillas or  "  partisan  rangers." 

Acting  as  secret  policemen  and  detectives,  they  now 
assisted  in  developing  several  important  cases,  a  full 
mention  of  which  would  fill  many  pages  of  this  work. 
Occasionally  they  varied  their  daily  routine  by  acting 
as  guides  to  cavalry  expeditions,  in  which  they  rendered 
efficient  service.  One  of  their  adventures  in  Nashville 
is  worth  relating. 

After  the  battle  of  Stone  River  large  numbers  of  rebel 
prisoners  were  sent  to  the  city  and  allowed  their  parole, 
whereupon  the  wealthy  secessionists  of  the  place  seized 
every  opportunity  to  feed,  clothe,  and  encourage  them. 
One  day,  as  Moore  and  Blue  were  walking  down  High 
street  in  the  dress  of  Confederate  prisoners,  they  were 
invited  into  an  elegant  residence  and  were  kindly  enter- 
tained by  Miss  Hamilton,  one  of  the  reigning  belles  of 
Nashville.  Conversation  naturally  ensued  concerning 
the  relative  merits  and  demerits  of  the  North  and  South, 
in  the  course  of  which  Miss  Hamilton  said  she  had  done 
every  thing  in  her  power  to  aid  the  Southern  cause.  She 
had  sent  letters  of  encouragement,  she  said,  and  also  a 
Southern  flag,  through  the  lines.  She  told  them  of  an 
old  Irishwoman  w^ho  was  in  the  habit  of  carrying  out 
goods  in  a  market  wagon  which  had  a  false  bottom.  She 
Baid,  too,  that  Governor  Andy  Johnson  once  had  her 
brought  before  him  and  gave  her  a  severe  lecturing,  bui 
she  soon  talked  him  over,  and  persuaded  him  into  giving 
her  a  pass  to  go  two  miles  out  of  the  city  to  see  her  aunt, 
and  that  when  once  beyond  the  lines  she  went  to  the 
rebel  army  at  Murfreesboro.  She  further  said  that  a 
Mrs.  Montgomery,  w^ho  lived  two  miles  out  on  the  FrarJr> 


24       NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

lin  pike,  had  taken  out  more  goods  than  anybody  else 
in  Nashville.  When  she  went  to  Murfreesboro  she 
took  out  with  her  letters,  and  had  given  to  Southern 
soldiers  coming  into  Nashville  large  quantities  of  cloth 
ing,  and  finally  demonstrated  her  good  will  by  presenting 
Moore  -with  a  fine  pair  of  pants  and  other  clothing  and 
a  pair  of  new  boots.  In  return  for  these  acts  of  kindness, 
Colonel  Truesdail  sent  her  the  following  letter  of 
thanks  : — 

"  Office  Coief  Army  Police,  January  10,  1863. 

"Miss  Hamilton,  High  Street: — 

"Dear  Miss  : — Please  accept  my  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment for  your  kindness — during  the  arrival  of  a  large 
number  of  Confederate  prisoners  in  the  city  from  the 
battle  of  Stone  River,  and  their  stay  here — in  calling 
mto  your  beautiful  residence  one  of  my  secret  police, 
and  for  the  kind  aiid  benevolent  treatment  you  extended 
to  him.  Also  for  the  new  suit  of  clothes  and  the  cav- 
alry boots  given  him,  the  valuable  information  of  your 
labors  in  the  Confederate  cause  furnished  to  him,  and 
the  knowledge  afibrded  me  of  your  persevering  energy  as 
a  spy  and  smuggler.  I  shall  endeavor  to  profit  by  it, 
and  may  have  occasion  to  send  another  officer  to  you. 
"  Respectfully, 

"William  Truesdail, 
"  Chief  Army  Polic^r 

After  this  they  accompanied  a  cavalry  police  expedi- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  capturing  Captains  Young  and 
Scruggs — the  leaders  of  a  band  of  guerillas  on  White's 
Creek,  who  were  a  terror  to  the  whole  country.  They 
were  at  the  house  of  an  old  man  named  McNeil,  which 
was  surrounded  and  a  demand  made  for  Young  and 
Scruggs.  There  being  some  sixty  troops  to  back  the  de- 
mand, the  old  man  did  not  dare  to  deny  their  presence, 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.      2t. 

and,  without  deigning  any  reply,  turned  at  once,  wont 
into  the  house,  and  bolted  the  door.  This  slight  bar- 
rier was  speedily  broken  down,  and  the  crowd  rushed 
in.  Search  was  made  everywhere — down-stairs  and 
up,  under  beds,  in  chimneys,  and  under  the  floor ;  but 
neither  Young  nor  Scruggs  was  found.  As  a  last  resort, 
they  went  to  the  girl's  bedroom ;  and  there — in  bed  be- 
tween two  full-grown  young  women — the  valiant  Young 
was  found  snugly  hidden  away.  He  was  unceremoni- 
ously dragged  out,  and  Scruggs,  in  the  meanwhile,  having 
been  found  in  a  hay-loft,,  both  were  taken  to  Nashville, 
and  thrown  into  the  penitentiary  at  that  place,  awaiting 
their  trial. 

After  their  return  to  Nashville,  Moore  and  Blue  were 
constantly  engaged  for  a  number  of  months  in  the  in 
vestigation  of  numerous  minor  cases  of  smuggling  and 
fraud,  and  succeeded  in  making  Nashville  too  hot  a 
place  for  the  swarms  of  rebel  emissaries  who  had  so  long 
made  it  their  headquarters. 


At  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  in  1861,  a  Souihern  mer 
chant  wrote  to  a  large  firm  in  New  York,  requesting  a 
list  of  the  names  of  those  who  supported  and  sympa- 
thized with  the  ''movement  against  the  South."  The 
New  Yorker  replied  by  sending,  through  Adams  &  Co.'i 
Express,  a  copy  of  the  "  City  Directory  1" 


26      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

A   NAMELESS   SPY. 

General  Garfield  relates,  in  the  annals  of  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland,  a  thrilling  and  interesting  narrative 
of  a  nameless  Union  spy  (nameless,  because,  at  that  time 
to  have  given  his  real  name,  would  have  brought  down 
upon  him  and  his  family  the  bitter  vengeance  of  the  in- 
fluential rebels  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee),  who,  as  he 
states,  went  into  and  came  out  from  Bragg's  army  at 
Murfreesboro  three  times  during  the  week  of  battles  at 
Stone  river — who  even  dined  at  the  table  of  Bragg  and 
of  his  other  generals — who  brought  us  correct  information 
as  to  the  force  and  position  of  the  rebel  army,  and  of 
the  boasts  of  its  head  officers.  This  spy  was  the  first  to 
assure  us  positively  that  Bragg  would  fight  at  Stone 
river,  telling  us  of  that  general's  boast,  that  "he  would 
whip  Eosecrans  back  to  Nashville  if  it  cost  ten  thousand 
men."  For  the  four  days'  service  thus  rendered  by  our 
spy  he  was  paid  five  thousand  dollars  by  order  of  our 
general,  and  the  author  saw  the  money  passed  to  h-im. 

In  1862  there  lived  in  the  State  of  Kentucky  a  Union 
man,  with  his  wife  and  children.  He  was  a  friend  of  the 
Union,  and  an  anti-slavery  man  upon  principle.  After 
the  rebellion  broke  out,  and  when  the  "  Southern  heart" 
had  become  fired,  this  man,  living  in  a  strong  pro-slavery 
region,  and  surrounded  by  opulent  slaveholders — his 
own  family  connections  and  those  of  his  wife  being  also 
wealthy  and  bitter  secessionists — very  prudently  held  his 
peace,  feeling  his  utter  inability  to  stem  the  tide  of  the 
rebellion  in  his  section.  This  reticence,  together  with 
his  knoAvn  Southern  birth  and  relations,  enabled  him  to 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.      27 

pass  unsuspected,  and  almost  unobserved,  at  a  time 
when  Breckinridge,  Marshall,  Preston,  and  Buckner, 
and  other  ardent  politicians  of  Kentucky  chose  the  re- 
bellion as  their  portion,  and  endeavored  to  carry  with 
them  the  State  amidst  a  blaze  of  excitement.  Thus, 
wit^iout  tacit  admissions  or  any  direct  action  upon  his 
part,  the  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  was  classed  by 
the  people  of  his  section  as  a  secessionist. 

Circumstances  occurred  during  that  year  by  which 
this  person  was  brought  into  contact  with  a  Federal  com- 
mander in  Kentucky,  General  Nelson.  Their  meeting 
and  acquaintance  was  accidental.  Mutual  Union  senti- 
ments begat  personal  sympathy  and  friendship.  Nelson 
wished  a  certain  service  performed  in  the  rebel  territory 
and  he  persuaded  the  citizen  to  undertake  it — which  the 
latter  finally  did  as  a  matter  of  duty,  we  are  assured, 
rather  than  of  gain,  for  he  made  no  charge  for  the  ser- 
vice after  its  speedy  and  successful  performance.  Soon 
after,  a  similar  work  was  necessary ;  and  again  was  the 
citizen  importuned,  and  he  again  consented,  but  did  not 
consider  himself  as  a  professional  spy. 

During  this  or  a  similar  trip,  and  while  at  Chatta- 
noogaj  our  man  heard  of  the  sudden  death  of  General 
Nelson.  He  was  now  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  Finally 
he  determined  to  return  and  report  his  business  to 
Major-General  Rosecrans,  who  had  assumed  command 
of  the  Federal  army.  Thus  resolved,  he  proceeded  to 
finish  his  mission.  After  ascertaining  the  position  of 
military  afi'airs  at  Chattanooga,  he  came  to  Murfreesboro, 
where  Bragg's  army  was  then  collecting.  Staying  here 
several  days,  he  was  urged  by  his  Southern  army  friends 
to  act  as  their  spy  in  Kentrcky.     The  better  to  conceal 


28      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

his  owu  feelings  and  position,  he  consented  to  do  so,  and 
he  left  General  Bragg's  headquarters  to  go  to  that  State 
by  way  of  Nashville,  feigning  important  business,  and 
from  thence  to  go  to  his  home,  passing  by  and  through 
Rosecrans'  army  as  it  lay  stretched  out  between  Nash- 
ville and  Louisville. 

The  nameless  man  now  makes  his  way  to  the  Federal 
Headquarters,  seeks  a  private  interview  with  General 
Rosecrans,  and  states  his  case  fully  as  we  have  just  re- 
lated. Here  was  something  remarkable,  surely — a  Bpy 
in  the  confidence  of  the  commanders  of  two  great  oppo- 
sing armies !  Our  general  took  much  pains  to  satisfy 
himself  of  the  honesty  and  soundness  of  the  stranger. 
He  was  pleased  with  the  man's  candid  manner,  and  his 
story  bore  an  air  of  consistency  and  truth.  Yet,  he  was 
a  Southerner,  surrounded  by  rebellious  influences,  and 
enjoyed  Bragg's  confidence ;  and  what  guarantee  could 
be  given  that  he  was  a  Union  man  at  heart  ?  None ; 
and  General  Rosecrans,  in  great  perplexity,  held  council 
with  his  Chief  of  Police,  and  requested  the  latter  to  "  dig 
up  "  the  case  to  its  very  root.  This  was  done  ;  but  in 
what  manner  we  need  not  specially  state.  Satisfied  that 
it  would  do  to  trust  the  spy,  to  a  certain  extent  at  least, 
he  was  now  sent  on  his  way  to  perform  his  mission  for 
Bragg.  At  all  events,  that  scheming  general  so  sup 
posed  when  our  man's  report  was  made  at  the  rebel 
headquarters  a  few  days  afterward.  His  information 
was  very  acceptable  to  Bragg ;  but  we  strongly  question 
its  value  to  rebeldom,  as  the  spy  reported  only  what  he 
was  told  by  that  old  fox  Colonel  Truesdail. 

Perhaps  the  reader  will  inquire,  how  can  we  answer 
foi  the  report  thus  made  to  Bragg  ?  it  may  have  been 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 


29 


more  true  and  valuable  than  we  supposed.     Well,  there 
is  force  in  the  query.     We  are  fallen  upon  strange  times, 
when  honesty,  virtue,  and  patriotism  are  at  heavy  dis- 
count  in  rebeldom,  and  the  Indian's  idea  of  the  uncel^ 
tainty  of  whitxi  men  is  by  no  means  a  myth.     However, 
we  were  then  quite  confident  of  the  worthlessness  of  the 
report  of  our  spy  to  Bragg,  because  he  hcid  notJdng  else 
to  tell  him.     For  five  days  did  our  spy  keep  himself 
locked  in  a  private  room  in  the  police  building  at  Nash- 
ville.    His  meals  were  carried  to  him  by  a  trusty  ser- 
vant.     His  door  was  ''  shadowed  "  constantly  by  our  best 
detectives,  and  so  were  his  steps  if  he  ventured  upon 
the  street  for  a  few  moments  after  dark.     It  was  cold 
and  bleak  winter  weather,  and  he  toasted  himself  before 
his  comfortable  fire,  read  books  and  papers,  and  conferred 
often  with  the  Chief  of  Police  and  his  assistant,  afibrd- 
in-   them,  strangers    as   they  were   to    that  region  of 
country,  a  fund  of  valuable  information  respecting  the 
rebels  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.     He  was  a  man  of 
fine  address  and  good  intellectual  attainments.     When 
our  man  concluded  it  was  about  time  for  his  return  to 
Bragg's  army,  he  was  politely  escorted  by  our  mounted 
police  to  a  proper  point  beyond  our  lines,  and  by  a  route 
where  he  would  see  nothing  of  our  forces.     The  reader 
will  now  appreciate  the  grounds  of  our  confidence,  we 
doubt  not,  in  the  worthlessness  of  at  least  one  of  Gen- 
eral Braxton  Bragg's  spy  reports. 

In  due  time  this  nameless  gentleman  again  enters  our 
lines,  and  is  escorted  in  by  our  pickets  to  the  general 
commanding,  to  whom  he  reports  in  person  concermng 
aU  that  is  transpiring  in  Bragg's  army  at  Murfreesboro, 
and  then  he  resumes  l«s  pleasant  private  quarters  at  the 


30      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

army  police  building.  How  little  could  the  rebel  Gen« 
eral  Zollicoffer  have  thought,  or  have  imagined  as  the 
wildest  dream,  while  buildiiig  his  elegant  house  in  High 
Btreet,  Nashville,  that  its  gorgeous  rooms  should  ever  be 
devoted  to  such  purposes !  After  a  brief  stay,  another 
trip  was  made  by  our  man  to  Bragg's  headquarters,  we 
using  the  same  precautions  as  previously.  In  fact,  our 
spy  desired  and  even  demanded,  such  attention  at  the 
hands  of  the  Chief  of  Police.     Said  he — 

"I  am  a  stranger  to  you  all.  I  can  give  you  no 
guarantee  whatever  of  my  good  faith.  It  is  alike  due  to 
you  and  to  myself  that  I  be  allowed  no  opportunities  for 
deceiving  you." 

The  report  he  carried  to  Bragg  on  his  second  trip  de- 
lighted the  latter.  His  officers  talked  with  our  man 
freely,  and  after  staying  at  Murireesboro  two  or  three 
days,  and  riding  and  walking  all  about  in  the  most  inno- 
cent and  unconcerned  manner,  he  was  again  sent  back 
to  Nashville  to  "  fool  that  slow  Dutchman,  Rosecrans," 
as  one  of  the  rebel  officers  remarked.  Of  the  import- 
ance of  the  report  now  brought  to  the  "  slow  Dutchman" 
we  need  not  state  further  than  that  it  contributed  its  due 
weight  to  a  decision  fraught  with  tremendous  conse- 
quences to  the  army  and  to  the  country.  Marching 
orders  were  soon  after  issued  for  the  advance  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  upon  Murfreesboro. 

Now  commenced  a  period  of  excessive  labor  and  peril 
for  the  nameless  spy.  General  Rosecrans  and  Bragg 
each  wanted  instant  and  constant  information  as  the 
armies  approached.  The  minutiae  of  this  man's  work 
for  four  or  five  days  we  need  not  stop  to  relate  [  it  is 
easily  imagined.     Within  that  time  he  entered  the  rebel 


NARRATIVES   OP    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.       31 

lines  and  returned  three  times.  He  gave  the  outline  of 
Bragg's  line  of  battle,  a  close  estimate  of  his  force,  an 
accurate  account  of  his  artillery  and  his  earthworks,  the 
movements  of  the  rebel  wagon  and  railroad  trains,  etc., 
etc.  He  was  very  earnest  in  assuring  Rosecrans  that 
Bragg  Intended  to  give  severe  battle  with  superior 
numbers. 

This  information  proved  true  in  all  essentials,  and  its 
value  to  the  country  was  inestimable.  We  had  other 
Bpies  piercing  the  rebel  lines  at  this  time,  but  they  did 
not  enjoy  the  facilities  possessed  by  the  nameless  one. 
Almost  with  anguish  did  he  exclaim  against  himself,  in 
the  presence  of  the  author,  for  the  severe  manner  in 
which  he  was  deceiving  the  rebel  general  and  involving 
the  lives  of  his  thousands  of  brave  but  deluded  followers. 

After  the  first  great  battle  the  work  of  such  a  spy  is 
ended,  or,  rather,  it  ceases  when  the  shock  of  arms  comes 
on.  Thenceforth  the  armies  are  moved  upon  the  in&tant, 
as  circumstances  may  require.  Our  man,  who,  during 
the  four  days,  had  been  almost  incessantly  in  the  saddle, 
or  with  his  ears  and  eyes  painfully  observant  while  in 
the  camps,  took  leave  of  our  army  upon  the  battle  field, 
and  retired  to  a  place  of  rest. 

One  incident  occurred,  during  his  last  visit  to  Bragg, 
which  is  worthy  of  mention.  That  general  took  alarm 
in  consequence  of  his  report,  and  at  once  started  a 
special  messenger  to  General  John  H.  Morgan — who 
was  then  absent  with  his  cavalry  in  Kentucky  to  d^ 
Btroy  Rosecrans'  railroad  communications  (in  which 
Morgan  succeeded) — to  return  instantly  with  his  com- 
mand by  forced  marches  to  Murfreesboro.  That  same 
night  oa;  man  reported  this  fact  to  the  Federal  com- 


32      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES. 

mander,  described  the  messenger  and  what  route  he 
would  take,  etc.  The  information  was  telegraphed  at 
once  to  Nashville,  Gallatin,  and  Bowling  Green,  and  a 
force  was  sent  from  each  of  those  posts  to  intercept  the 
messenger.  They  failed  to  apprehend  him — which, 
however,  proved  of  no  consequence,  as  the  battles  of 
Stone  River  were  fought,  and  Bragg  was  on  his  retreat 
from  Murfreesboro  by  the  time  Morgan  could  have  re- 
ceived the  orders. 

Our  spy  was  a  brave  man  :  yet,  during  the  last  three 
days  of  his  service  he  was  most  sensible  of  its  peril.  To 
pass  between  hostile  lines  in  the  lone  hours  of  the  night 
— for  he  did  not  wait  for  daylight — to  be  halted  by 
guerillas  and  scouts  and  pickets,  with  guns  aimed  at 
him,  and,  finally,  to  meet  and  satisfy  the  anxious,  keen 
eyed,  heart  searching  rebel  officers  as  well  as  our  own, 
was  a  mental  as  well  as  physical  demand  that  could  not 
long  be  sustained.  While  proceeding  upon  his  last  ex- 
pedition, the  author  met  the  nameless  one  upon  a  by- 
road. We  halted  our  horses,  drew  near,  and  conversed 
a  few  seconds  in  private,  while  our  attendants  and  com- 
panions moved  on.  He  was  greatly  exhausted  and 
soiled  in  appearance — his  clothing  having  been  rained 
upon  and  splashed  by  muddy  water,  caused  by  hard 
riding,  and  which  had  dried  upon  him.  He  said  he  was 
about  to  try  it  once  more,  and,  though  he  had  been  so 
often  and  so  successfully,  yet  he  feared  detection  and  its 
sure  result,  the  bullet  or  the  halter.  He  had  been 
unable,  amid  the  hurry  and  excitement,  to  make  some 
final  disposition  of  his  affairs.  He  gave  us  a  last  meesage 
to  send  to  his  wife  and  children  in  case  it  became  neces- 
sary ;  and  he  also  desired  a  promise — most  freely  given 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.       33 

--tnat  we  would  attend  to  the  settlement  of  his  account 
with  General  Rosecrans  for  services  recently  rendered. 
Thus  concluding,  he  wrung  our  hand  most  earnestly, 
and,  putting  spurs  to  his  fresh  and  spirited  animal, 
dashed  off  upon  his  mission.  Twenty  hours  afterward 
we  were  relieved  of  our  anxious  forebodings  by  his  safe 
and  successful  return.  We  have  stated  the  price  paid 
him  for  his  labors :  it  was  well  earned,  and  to  out  causo 
was  a  most  profitable  investment. 


The  Prater  of  the  Wicked. — During  the  month  of 
December  last,  and  for  many  weeks  previous,  a  severe 
drought  prevailed  in  Tennessee.  The  Cumberland 
river  was  fordable  in  many  places,  the  smaller  streams 
nearly  dry,  and  in  sundry  localities  water  for  stock  very 
scarce.  During  its  continuance,  a  Union  man  at  Shelby- 
ville,  while  in  attendance  upon  the  Methodist  church 
at  that  place,  heard  a  prayer  offered  from  the  pulpit  by 
the  officiating  minister,  in  which  occured  a  sentence 
somewhat  as  follows  : — 

"0  Lord,  as  a  nation  free  and  independent,  look 
down  upon  us  in  mercy  and  loving-kindness,  and  hold 
us  within  the  hollow  of  thy  hand  amidst  all  our  desola- 
tion and  sorrow.  Let  the  rays  of  heaven's  light  smile 
upon  our  fields,  and  the  dews  of  beneficent  mercy  be 
shed  upon  our  valleys.  Let  the  rain  descend  to  beautify 
and  fructify  the  earth  and  to  swell  the  rivers  of  waters ; 
but,  0  Lord,  do  not  raise  the  Cumberland  sufficient  to 
bring  upon  us  the  damnable  Yankee  gunboats  1" 

3 


54       NARRATIVES  OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIFB*. 


CORPORAL  PIKE,  SCOUT  AND  RANG 

Whether  we  c  msider  the  length  of  time  during  whicfc 
he  was  employed,  or  the  variety  and  hazardous  charactei 
of  the  service  in  w  hich  he  was  engaged,  we  think  no  one 
of  the  scouts  and  spies  employed  by  the  commanden 
of  the  Union  armies  has  ever  passed  through  a  greater 
number  of  startling  and  perilous  adventures  than  Cor- 
poral James  Pike,  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry.  He  has 
published  a  narrative  of  his  services,  which  is  replete 
with  interest.  We  cannot  follow  him  in  any  except  the 
most  remarkable  of  these,  for  want  of  space.  A  native 
of  Leesburg,  Ohio,  and  a  printer  by  profession,  he  pos- 
sessed in  a  large  degree  that  love  of  adventure  which  is 
BO  often  a  characteristic  of  Western  nwii  He  gives  m 
no  clue  to  his  age ;  but  he  must  have  been  not  more 
than  five  or  six  and  twenty  years  old,  when,  in  the 
winter  of  1858-9,  he  had  come  to  the  determination, 
after  working  at  his  trade  for  some  time  at  Jefferson  City, 
to  migrate  to  Kansas,  where  the  border  ruffian  war  was 
then  raging,  in  search  of  adventures.  Having  been 
turned  aside  from  this  intention  by  the  solicitation  of  a 
Texan  adventurer,  he  went  to  Texas ;  and  very  soon 
joined  a  company  of  Rangers,  and  for  nearly  two  years 
was  engaged  in  warfare  with  the  Camanches  and  other 
of  the  savage  Indian  tribes  in  Northern  Texas.  After 
numerous  hair-breadth  escapes,  and  terrible  suJBfering  in 
the  ill  advised  expedition  against  the  Camanche  Indians, 
prosecuted  under  Colonel  Johnston,  he  returned  to  Waco, 
Texas,  and  found  the  community  there,  as  elsewhere, 
all   alive  with  excitement   in   regard  to   Mr.   Lincoln's 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND    DETECTIVES.       OO 

election.  Avowing  himself  a  Union  man,  he  was  soon 
obliged  to  liy  ;  though  not  until  he  had  recorded  himself 
as  against  the  iniquitous  ordinance  of  Secession.  Great 
numbers  of  Union  men  were  murdered  at  this  time  in 
Texas,  simply  for  the  avowal  of  Union  sentiments ;  and 
Pike,  desirous  of  doing  his  country  some  service  against 
the  bloodthirsty  secessionists,  escaped  from  the  State  into 
Arkansas;  and  when  he  fell  in  with  rebels,  represented 
himself  as  the  nephew  of  Albert  Pike,  a  rebel  general 
then  in  the  western  part  of  the  Indian  Territory.  More 
than  once  he  found  himself  in  situations  from  whence 
escape  seemed  impossible  ;  but  his  reauy  wit,  before 
long,  enabled  him  to  find  some  way  of  evading  the  picket 
lines  of  the  enemy  :  and  passing  through  Memphis  and 
Nashville — meeting  his  father  at  the  latter  place — he 
made  his  way  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  by  midsummer  of 
1861;  and  soon  after  enlisted,  first  in  Fremont's  body- 
guard, and  subsequently  in  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry.  After 
spending  two  months  in  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  cavalry 
drill.  Corporal  Pike  and  the  rest  of  his  company  were 
mustered  into  the  U.  S.  service  at  Camp  Dennison,  on 
the  20th  of  November,  1861;  and  early  in  the  spring 
moved  to  Louisville,  where  they  were  assigned  to  General 
0.  M.  Mitchel's  division,  and  soon  marched  toward  Bowl- 
ing Green.  General  Mitchel  was  too  shrewd  a  judge 
of  character  not  to  discern  quickly  Pike's  qualifications 
for  the  secret  service;  and  before  he  had  been  under 
him  a  week,  he  sent  him,  with  some  twenty  comrades,  on 
a  scout  toward  Green  River,  Ky.  On  his  return,  he 
found  General  Mitchel's  division  before  Bowling  Green, 
and  with  another  soldier,  crossed  the  Big  Barren  river 
on  a  raft,  with  a  coil  of  rope,  to  facilitate  the  construction 


86      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

of  a  pontoon  bridge.  The  army  being  safely  in  Bowling 
Green,  Corporal  Pike  explored  the  adjacent  region,  and 
arrested  the  guerillas,  who,  in  the  guise  of  Union  soldiers, 
were  plundering,  burning,  and  destroying  private  and 
public  property.  In  ane  of  these  expeditions,  he  waa 
fold  of  two  of  these  marauders  named  Robinson  and 
Keaton,  about  sixteen  miles  distant,  who  were  constantly 
committing  depredations.  He  started  alone  to  arrest 
them,  but  before  proceeding  far  met  two  men,  and  soon 
after  a  third,  whom  he  knew  to  hi  guerillas  and  seces- 
sionists; but  whom  he  addressed  as  law-abiding  citizens, 
telling  them  whom  he  was  going  to  arrest,  and  insisted 
upon  their  coming  with  him  and  giving  him  assistance. 
They  at  first  endeavored  to  excuse  themselves,  but  as 
they  were  personally  hostile  to  Robinson  and  Keaton, 
they  finally  consented  to  go  with  him,  and  he  arrested 
the  culprits,  while  they  guarded  and  took  charge  of 
them.  The  Union  people  of  the  vicinity,  not  aware  of 
the  real  character  of  Robinson  and  Keaton,  and  believing 
that  this  was  a  movement  of  the  secessionists,  followed 
in  some  force  to  Bowling  Green,  to  demand  their  release ; 
but  by  hard  riding  Pike  reached  there  first,  and  delivered 
up,  not  only  the  two  marauders,  but  the  three  guerillas 
he  had  compelled  to  aid  him  in  capturing  them ;  and 
when  the  Union  party,  who  had  come  on  to  demand 
their  release,  arrived  at  the  provost-marshal's,  it  was 
found  that  there  were  three  more  bushwhackers  in  their 
ranks,  who  were  also  arrested  and  sent  to  jail. 

General  Mitchel  next  sent  him  to  ascertain  the  loca- 
tion and  strength  of  Morgan's  band,  then  just  beginning 
to  make  some  disturbance  in  Middle  Tennessee.  He 
•jucceeded  in  having  an  interview  with  Morgan,  passing 


NARRA'.VES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       3V 

himself  off  as  a  Texa.  ranger;  ascertained  the  strength 
of  liis  coinniand,  and  after  narrowly  escaping  capture 
two  or  three  times,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  Union 
lines  near  Nashville. 

General  Mitchell,  who  was  one  of  the  most  active  and 
energetic  of  commanders,  now  determined  to  explore 
the  roads  and  bridges  leading  to  Shelby  ville,  preparatory 
to  a  movement  upon  that  town,  and  sent  Corporal  Pike 
to  perform  that  service — one  of  great  difficulty  and 
danger,  inasmuch  as  it  was  remote  from  the  Union 
lines,  and  all  the  roads  were  picketed  by  the  Texan 
Rangers  and  Morgan's  battalion.  But  danger  only  added 
new  zest  to  any  enterprise,  and  he  uudertook  it  cheer- 
fully. His  encounters  on  this  expedition  were  many  and 
startling,  but  when  meeting  the  rebels  in  considerable 
numbers,  he  passed  himself  off  as  Captain  Bonham,  of 
the  First  Louisiana  Cavalry,  just  escaped  from  the  Union 
lines ;  and  told  his  story  so  plausibly  that  it  met  with 
perfect  credence.  If  there  were  but  one  or  two,  he 
trusted  to  his  pistols  and  the  speed  of  his  good  horse ;  and 
on  one  occasion,  meeting  at  night  a  part  of  Morgan's 
battalion,  tjie  audacious  fellow  professed  to  be  on  picket 
duty,  and  demanded  the  countersign  ;  but  finding  them 
ignorant  of  it,  compelled  them  to  file  past,  and  when 
they  were  nearly  across  a  rickety  bridge  in  the  vicinity, 
he  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  rode  in  an  opposite 
direction. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1862,  General  Mitchell  sent  Pike 
to  Decatur,  Alabama,  to  get  information  as  to  the  state 
of  the  country,  and  destroy  the  railroad  bridge  at  that 
point  if  possible.  Some  of  his  adventures  on  this  ex- 
pedition were  so  characteristic  of  the  shj-ewdness  and 


38      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES. 

audacity  of  the  man  that  we  cannot  do  better  than  to 
give  them  in  his  own  words. 

"  Near  to  the  town  of  Fayette  ville,  Lincoln  county, 
Tennessee,  night  overtook  me,  and  I  left  the  road  for 
a  short  distance  and  slept  in  the  woods.  This  was  Sat- 
urday night,  and  Sunday  morning  I  rode  into  town. 
The  citizens  were  astonished  to  see  a  single  man,  dressed 
in  full  Yankee  costume — blue  jacket,  blue  blouse,  and 
blue  pants — and  armed  with  the  well  known  Yankee 
accoutrements,  venture  among  them.  They  gathered 
about  me  in  a  great  crowd,  and  seemed  to  regard  it  as  the 
freak  of  a  madman,  but  on  approaching  me  at  the  hotel, 
they  found  me  entirely  rational,  cool,  and  of  decent  de- 
portment, and  they  at  once  changed  their  minds,  and 
took  me  for  one  of  their  own  men  in  disguise.  Seeing 
it  was  my  best  plan  to  encourage  this  belief,  I  ordered 
my  breakfast,  went  to  the  stable  to  see  my  horse  fed,  and 
then  returned  to  my  room  at  the  hotel.  There  were 
about  three  hundred  men  gathered  on  the  sidewalk  to 
ascertain  what  the  strange  arrival  meant,  and  to  hear 
the  news ;  and  they  were  watching  me  with  eager  inter- 
est. I  felt  that  I  was  playing  a  delicate  game,  with  my 
neck  in  a  halter.  If  they  had  only  known  my  true 
character,  they  would  but  too  gladly  have  hanged  me  to 
the  nearest  tree.  They  asked  me  my  name,  which  I 
told  them ;  next  my  regiment,  and  with  a  swaggering 
air,  I  said  : 

"  '  The  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry.' 

*'  *  What  is  your  colonel's  name?'  said  one. 

" '  Colonel  John  Kennett,'  I   answered,  slowly,  and 
with  a  dubious  look. 

"  '  What  is  your  captain's  nane  ?'  inquired  another. 


NARRATIVES    OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES.      39 

«  'Captaiii  0.  P.  Robie,'  I  told  him. 

"  *  Where  is  your  command  ?'  asked  one  who  appeared 
to  be  a  man  of  consequence. 

"'At  Shelbyville.' 

"'Well,'  he  continued,  'if  your  command  is  there, 
what  are  you  doing  here  by  yourself?' 

"  '  Why,  sir,'  I  responded,  '  if  you  want  to  know,  I 
came  to  demand  the  surrender  of  this  town.' 

"  '  Well,  well/  said  the  man ;  '  that  is  too  good.  One 
man  to  take  a  town  like  this,'  and  they  enjoyed  the 
joke  hugely. 

"  They  now  began  to  look  exceedingly  wise ;  and  I 
heard  the  whisper  pass  from  mouth  to  mouth,  that  I  was 
one  of  Morgan's  men.  This  declaration  I  heard  again 
and  again,  as  I  passed  through  the  crowd.  Soon  after, 
a  gentleman  stepped  up  to  me  and  requested  to  exam- 
ine my  gun,  which  I  handed  to  him  after  removing  the 
cap  ;  but  I  at  the  same  time  drew  out  my  pistol,  cocked 
it,  and  held  it  in  my  hand  till  my  piece  was  returned  to 
me.  After  a  brief  survey  of  the  gun,  it  was  delivered 
over  to  me  with  trembling  hand,  when  I  restored  the 
cap  and  put  up  my  pistol. 

"At  this  moment  I  was  called  to  breakfast,  and  walked 
into  the  dining-room  and  sat  down  to  the  table,  keep- 
ing an  eye  on  every  thing  at  once.  I  seated  myself  be- 
side a  man  of  good  appearance,  who  had  on  a  handsome 
uniform  and  the  three  stars  of  a  rebel  colonel.  Sling- 
ing my  carbine  across  my  knees,  with  the  hammer  up, 
ready  for  instant  use,  I  loosed  my  pistols,  in  the  scab- 
bard on  one  side,  and  a  vicious  bowie  knife  on  the  other, 
after  which  I  began  to  appease  my  appetite  on  the  good 
things  before   me,  watching   the   colonel    closely.     He 


4.0      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

looked  at  me  three  different  times,  and  then  rismg 
abruptly  from  the  table,  darted  out  into  the  crowd,  and 
I  saw  no  more  of  him.  A  few  minutes  after,  I  heard 
the  people  on  the  sidewalk  raise  a  loud  laugh  at  the  ex- 
pense of  some  one. 

"After  eating  a  meal — the  first  since  I  had  left  camp — 
I  went  out  into  the  crowd  again,  and  called  for  the 
mayor,  saying  I  wanted  him  to  surrender  the  town. 
Again  the  bystanders  raised  a  laugh,  and  called  for  some 
one  to  go  for  the  mayor,  as  he  was  not  present.  They 
then  began  to  joke  me  about  our  gunboats,  saying  the 
Yankees  would  never  fight  unless  backed  by  them.  I 
told  them  that  General  Mitchel  had  dry  land  gunboats, 
with  steel  soles  and  spring  runners,  and  that  he  had  used 
them  with  great  effect  at  Bowling  Green.  One  of  the 
men  said  : 

"  *  If  you're  a  Yankee,  show  us  a  Yankee  trick,  and 
we  will  believe  you.' 

*'  *  Gentlemen,'  said  I,  '  I  will  do  my  best  to  show 
you  one,  before  I  leave  this  neck  of  timber.' 

"  *  Where  are  you  going  ?'  said  one. 

"  '  Down  the  country,'  I  replied. 

"  *  Look  here,  now,'  one  of  the  fellows  pursued,  ^  you 
may  as  well  own  up  and  tell  us  where  the  captain  is.' 

"  '  What  captain  ?'  I  asked. 

"  *Why  Captain  Morgan,  to  be  sure.' 

"  *  Gentlemen,'  said  T,  slowly,  ^  you  have  waked  up 
the  wrong  passenger.  I  belong  to  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cav- 
alry ;'  and  again  the  laugh  rung  out  at  my  preposterous 
assertior . 

In  obedience  to  directions,  my  horse  was  brought  out, 
«nd  it  was  a  favorable  time  to  leave,  as  they  were  all  in 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.      41 

a  good  humor,  aud  I  consequently  mounted  and  toc^k  the 
road  to  Huntsville  at  a  gallop.  Just  as  I  passed  the 
crowd  one  fellow  sung  out : 

"  '  Hold  on  there,  you  haven't  shown  us  that  Yankee 
trick  yet.' 

"  *  There's  plenty  of  time,'  said  I,  turning  in  my  saddle 
to  watch  their  movements,  '  before  I  leave  this  section 
of  the  country.' 

"  About  five  miles  from  Fayetteville  is  a  very  noted 
highland  called  Wells'  Hill,  and  on  the  top  of  it  there  is 
a  fork  in  the  road,  the  left  going  directly  south  lo  Hunts- 
ville, and  the  right  to  Athens  and  Decatur.  On  reach- 
ing this  road,  I  was  in  the  act  of  turning  into  it,  when 
I  looked  across  on  still  another  road,  called  the  Meridian 
road,  and  discovered  a  train  of  wagons  coming  slow^ly  up 
the  hill.  I  watched  it  till  I  saw  there  was  no  guard 
near,  and  then  riding  around  till  I  met  the  first  wagon, 
I  caused  it  to  be  drawn  close  along  against  the  fence, 
and  there  stopped ;  then  the  next  two  to  be  drawn  close 
alongside,  thus  making  an  effectual  barricade  against 
any  force  which  was  approaching  from  that  direction. 
Next  I  seized  the  wagon  master,  who  was  some  distance 
in  the  rear  of  the  train,  and  shoved  him  and  the  drivers 
up  into  the  fence  corner,  making  one  of  them  turn  the 
mules  loose  from  the  wagons.  The  loads  were  covered 
with  com  blades  and  other  forage,  so  one  could  not  see 
them,  but  the  drivers  told  me  that  the  w^agons  were 
loaded  with  bacon. 

"After  arranging  things  to  my  satisfaction,  I  produced 
a  bunch  of  matches,  and  fired  the  fodder  on  the  top  of 
each  of  the  wagci  s,    which  were  of  the  old-fashioned 


42      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

curved  bodies,  Conestoga  pattern,  each  of  which  had  on 
it  lour  thousand  pounds  of  bacon. 

"  The  guns  of  the  party  all  happened  to  be  in  the 
wagons,  and  none  of  them  had  any  side  arms,  except 
the  wagon  master,  who  had  something  under  his  coat 
that  looked  like  a  pistol ;  and  as  he  wore  a  belt,  it  is 
very  probable  he  had  one  ;  and  some  of  the  citizens,  I 
know  had,  for  I  saw  three  or  four  of  them ;  but  I  was 
ready  to  shoot  before  they  could  recover  from  their  sur- 
prise, so  that  it  would  have  been  foolhardy  for  them  to 
resist,  as  I  would  certainly  have  killed  the  first  man 
who  made  a  motion  to  draw  a  weapon.  I  made  no 
attempt  to  take  their  side  arms,  as  I  did  not  want  to 
lose  my  advantage  over  them  for  an  instant.  There 
were  three  good  guns  burned  up  in  the  wagons,  one  a 
double  barrelled  shot  gun,  and  two  old  muskets. 

"  When  the  flames  shot  up,  several  citizens  came  to  the 
scene  of  action,  but  I  thrust  them  into  the  fence  corner, 
along  with  the  wagon  master  and  teamsters.  As  soon 
as  the  wagons  -were  so  far  destroyed  that  they  began  to 
fall  down,  and  I  saw  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  save 
any  thing  of  the  wreck,  I  made  the  drivers  mount  the 
mules,  and  the  wagon  master  his  horse,  and  taking  them 
on  the  road  to  Fayetteville,  I  told  them  that  I  was  going 
to  count  one  hundred ;  and  that  if,  by  that  time,  they 
were  not  out  of  sight,  I  would  shoot  the  last  one  of  them 
within  range.  I  then  began  to  count;  *one,'  'two,' 
'  three,'  etc.,  very  deliberately,  while  they  put  spurs  to 
their  steeds,  and  in  a  brief  time  they  were  beyond  my 
ken,  over  the  hills,  toward  Fayetteville,  to  give  the  in- 
habitants an  account  of  my  Yankee  trick. 

"  Wheeling  my  horse,  I  put  out  once  more  for  Decatur, 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.      43 

but  at  the  same  time  inquiring  my  way  to  Athens,  as  if 
I  intended  to  go  there.  As  I  passed  the  burning  wagona 
again,  I  told  the  citizens  standing  around,  that  if  they 
did  not  leave  instanter,  I  would  shoot  the  last  one  of 
them,  and  they  scattered  like  blackbirds. 

"  About  ten  miles  farther  down  the  road,  I  heard  the 
deep,  sonorous  tones  of  a  preacher,  belaboring  a  sinful 
congregation.  He  was  evidently  a  devout  believer  in  a 
terrible  and  endless  punishment  for  the  wicked,  for  he 
was  holding  out  to  his  audience  the  fearful  picture  of  a 
lost  sinner  in  hell ;  making  a  comparison  between  his 
condition  and  that  of  Dives,  who,  he  asserted,  was  once 
in  a  similar  state  of  sinfulness  while  on  earth,  and  who 
eventually  brought  up  in  hell,  and  from  whence  he  ex- 
pressed a  strong  desire  to  visit  Abraham  in  his  new 
abode ;  adding  that  the  wishes  of  the  unfortunate  Dives 
could  not  be  complied  with  for  some  geographical  cause 
— something  in  the  topography  of  the  country — a  gulf 
in  the  way,  I  believe.  Over  this  subject  he  grew 
eloquent,  and  had  probably  got  about  to  his  '  thirdly,'  and 
the  congregation  were  almost  breathless  with  attention, 
when  it  occurred  to  me  that  there  might  be  soldiers  in  the 
church,  and  I  had  better  look  after  them ;  otherwise 
they  might  give  me  some  trouble.  Riding  up  to  the 
door,  I  made  my  horse  enter  about  half  way,  so  that  I 
could  see  every  man  in  the  house.  As  his  feet  struck 
the  floor  of  the  church,  with  a  loud,  banging  sound,  the 
people  were  astonished  to  see  a  soldier,  under  arras,  riding 
boldly  in  among  them.  Turning  to  the  preacher,  I 
inquired  if  there  were  any  southern  soldiers  in  the  house. 
The  clergyman  was  standing  with  his  hand  raised,  as  he 
was  about  to  enforce  some  point  he  had  made,  being  the 


44       NARRATIVES    OF    SPIES,    SC»)UTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

very  picture  of  earnest  honesty,  looking;  as  if  he  believed 
every  word  that  he  had  said.  When  he  saw  me,  his 
hand  dropped,  and  he  seemed  as  badly  frightened  as  if 
the  identical  devil  he  had  so  vividly  described  had 
appeared  before  him.  He  was  almost  overpowered  with 
fright,  and  supporting  himself  by  the  rough  pulpit,  he 
glanced  at  the  back  door,  and  then  faltered  out :  '  Not 
now,  I  believe,  sir.'  I  saw  that  there  had  been  rebel 
soldiers  there,  and  that  they  had  escaped  in  the  direction 
of  his  glance ;  I  instantly  pulled  my  horse  back,  and 
spurred  to  the  corner  of  the  log  church,  just  in  time  to 
see  four  men  disappear  in  the  brush  across  a  field  which 
lay  back  of  the  building.  They  were  too  far  off  for  me 
to  shoot  at,  and  not  desiring  to  disturb  the  worship 
further  than  the  strictest  military  necessity  demanded, 
I  rode  on,  after  desiring  the  clergyman  to  pray  for  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  The  rebel  papers  had 
an  account  of  the  aflfair,  but  they  lied  when  they  stated 
that  I  tried  to  make  the  preacher  take  a  drink  of  whiskey ; 
for  I  hadn't  a  drop  to  bless  myself  with. 

"  Pretty  soon  I  met  two  soldiers  riding  leisurely  along 
to  church.  I  halted  them,  demanded  their  names,  regi- 
ments, and  companies,  and  informed  them  that  they 
were  prisoners  of  war  ;  that  I  was  a  federal  soldier,  but 
that  there  was  no  way  for  me  to  dispose  of  them  so  far 
from  our  lines  except  one ;  I  was  sorry  it  was  so — but  I 
must  shoot  them.  They  begged  I  would  spare  their 
lives,  and  pledged  their  honor  that  they  would  go  with 
me  in  good  faith,  if  I  would  not  kill  them.  I  pretended 
to  be  in  a  deep  study  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  told 
them  if  they  would  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 


NARRATIYES  OP   SPIES,   SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES.     45 

Cnited  States  I  would  let  them  go;  and  to  this  they 
agreed  eagerly. 

"  Holding  up  my  right  hand,  and  removing  my  cap, 
tbey  imitated  my  example,  uncovered  their  heads,  raised 
their  hands,  and  with  a  solemn  look,  that  would  well 
become  a  court  room,  waited  for  me  to  administer  '  the 
oath.'  I  had  joked  them  far  enough,  however,  and  not 
wishing  to  be  guilty  of  blasphemy  by  administering  an 
obligation  I  had  no  authority  to  require  of  them,  I  told 
them  that  I  would  rely  upon  their  honor,  but  they  must 
do  nothing  toward  pursuing  me,  or  giving  information 
concerning  ray  whereabouts ;  and  I  then  told  them  to 
'  go  in  peace.' 

"  The  next  man  I  met  was  an  old  citizen,  riding  d  very 
spirited  horse,  and  dressed  in  a  suit  of  butternut-colored 
homespun.  Tall,  thin  featured,  and  gaunt,  he  was  the 
very  picture  of  a  secesh  planter.  I  stopped  him,  and 
inquired  the  way  to  Camargo ;  he  pointed  to  the  road 
he  had  just  left,  and  told  me  to  follow  that.  I  now  told 
him  I  was  a  confederate  officer,  and  that  I  had  orders 
from  General  Beauregard  to  gather  up  all  the  straggler? 
I  could  find,  and  bring  them  forthwith  to  Corinth :  that 
we  were  expecting  a  great  battle  there  with  our  '  detesta- 
ble foe,'  the  Yankees,  and  that  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  for  every  one  to  be  at  his  post. 

"  '  You  will,'  said  I,  '  do  me  a  favor  and  your  country 
good  service  by  giving  me  the  names  of  all  soldiers  who 
are  at  home  without  leave  in  your  neighborhood.' 

"^Certainly,  sir/  he  replied;  'I  will  do  so  with  plea- 
sure; and  if  I  had  time/  he  added,  *1  would  go  with 
you,  and  help  to  find  them.' 

**  I  then  drew  out  a  note-book,  and  wrote  down  each 


46      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

name  he  gave  me,  with  the  company  and  regiment  ot 
each  man,  together  with  his  residence ;  and  then  asked 
him  to  refer  me  to  some  responsible  citizens,  who  would 
give  assistance  if  necessary.  He  gave  me  the  names  of 
half  a  dozen,  who,  he  said,  would  not  only  assist  me, 
but  would  give  the  names  of  other  delinquents. 

"  He  now  prepared  to  ask  me  a  few  questions,  and  pre- 
face them  with  the  statement  that  he  was  the  'Chief 
Justice,  of  Lincoln  county,  and  that  he  was  on  his  way 
to  Fayetteville  to  open  court  on  Monday  morning. 

"  'Are  there  many  cases  to  be  disposed  of?'  I  asked. 

"  '  Yes,  a  good  many,'  he  said. 

"'What  is  their  nature  generally ?' was  my  next 
inquiry. 

" '  Why,  they  are  mostly  political,'  said  he. 

"  I  was  at  no  loss  to  know  what  the  phrase  meant ;  the 
accused  were  Union  men,  who,  true  to  their  principles, 
had  refused  to  yield  to  the  demands  of  the  secessionists, 
but  chose  persecution  rather  than  dishonor.  I  then 
concluded  to  have  a  little  fun  out  of  the  old  fellow,  and 
render  the  persecuted  loyalists  what  assistance  I  could. 
But  as  I  did  not  desire  to  kill  him  in  cold  blood,  I  con- 
cluded to  frighten  him  a  little  by  way  of  punishment. 
Pointing  to  the  dense  column  of  smoke  that  was  rising 
from  the  burning  bacon,  I  said,  roughly  : 

"  '  Look  there,  old  man.' 

" '  Why,  what  in  the  name  of  God  does  that  mean  ?' 
inquired  he,  raising  his  eyes  in  utter  astonishment. 

" '  AVhy,  sir,'  I  responded,  '  it  means  that  I  am  a 
United  States  soldier,  and  I  have  just  burned  a  rebel 
train  up  there,  and  am  now  about  to  dispose  of  the 
Chief  Justice  of  Lincoln  county' — at  the  same  moment 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND  DETECTIVES.      47 

nimno;  the  hammer  of  my  gun,  aud  drawing  a  bead  on 
kim. 

"  <  Great  God !  don't  kJl  me,  sir,*  he  piteously  pleaded; 
<  don't  kill  me.' 

"  •  Look  here,  old  man,'  said  I,  savagely,  *  if  I  let  you 
life,  do  you  think  you  will  trouble  Union  men  in  this 
eounty  again  ?' 

"  *  0,  no,  no,  I  will  not.' 

"  *  Won't  bring  'em  to  trial?'  I  asked. 

"  *  No,  indeed,  I  will  not,'  he  solemnly  asserted ;  *  I 
have  been  compelled  to  enforce  the  law,'  he  then  began 
in  extenuation,  when  I  interrupted  him  with, 

"  ^  Don't  talk  to  me  about  enforcing  the  laws,  you  old 
reprobate,  or  I  will  kill  you  in  your  tracks.  Now,  see 
here,'  I  continued,  *  I  will  give  you  a  chance  for  your  life. 
This  is  a  level  road,  and  a  straight  one ;  now,  I  will 
count  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  if  you  are  not  out  of 
eight  in  that  time,  I  shall  kill  you,  just  as  sure  as  God 
made  little  apples.' 

"  I  gave  the  word,  and  began  to  count,  and  he  darted 
off,  like  an  arrow,  and  was  soon  lost  to  my  view  in  a 
cloud  of  dust. 

''  Again  taking  the  Athens  road,  I  pushed  on  rapidly 
for  some  time  till  I  passed  several  houses,  and  then, 
reaching  a  shallow  creek,  leading  into  the  woods,  I 
turned  down  it,  so  that  the  place  where  I  left  the  road 
could  not  be  found.  I  traveled  up  by-ways  till  near 
sunset,  when  I  met  with  an  old  man,  who  had  just 
crossed  the  Athens  road,  and  he  told  me  that  he  had 
seen  twelve  of  Young's  Tennessee  Cavalry  and  fifteen 
mounted  citizens  after  a  man  *  who  had  been  raising  a 
disturbance  up  the  country.'     He  said  that  I  answered 


18      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

the  description  exactly,  and  that  he  believed  I  was  thi» 
man. 

'' '  You  had  better  hide  somewhere  till  after  dark,'  ht 
advised  me ;  '  for  they  are  alarming  the  whole  country 
wherever  they  go.' 

"  I  saw  that  he  was  a  Union  man,  so  that  I  told  him 
that  if  I  kept  on  riding  they  could  better  see  and  hear 
me,  and  perhaps  it  would  give  them  a  chance  to  bush- 
whack me.  I  then  told  him  I  wanted  to  find  a  seques- 
tered spot,  where  I  could  leave  my  horse,  and  have  him 
taken  care  of  till  I  could  get  him  again ;  and  he  told  me 
of  a  very  good  Union  man,  who  lived  down  in  the 
woods,  away  from  any  public  road,  and  advised  me  to 
leave  my  horse  there ;  and  he  gave  me  such  directions 
as  would  enable  me  to  find  the  place,  which  I  reached 
in  safety. 

"  Leaving  my  horse,  I  took  to  the  woods  on  foot,  mak- 
ing direct  for  Decatur,  taking  the  sun  for  my  guide. 
The  second  night  overtook  me  in  the  woods  very  near 
Madison  depot,  on  the  railroad  between  Huntsville  and 
Decatur.  I  had  tried  to  travel  in  the  night,  but  was 
overtaken  by  a  terrible  storm,  and  the  darkness  was  sc 
great  that  I  could  not  find  my  way.  Being  very  tired, 
I  slept  soundly,  with  no  other  bed  than  the  ground,  and 
no  cover  but  my  rubber  Talma." 

Soaked  with  the  rain  and  famished  with  hunger,  he 
made  his  way,  in  the  early  morning,  toward  the  railroad, 
and  followed  it  till  about  ten  o'clock,  when  near  Miner- 
ville  he  found  the  residence  of  a  Union  man,  and  ob- 
tained a  meal,  his  host  and  himself  being  mutually  sus- 
picious of  each  other  and  both  acting  a  part.  Here  he 
met  Bome  rebel  cavalry  soldiers,  and  passing  himself 


NiRRATIVES   OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVKb.       40 

off  as  a  Texan  ranger  ascertained  what  were  the  defen- 
ces of  the  railroad  bridge  he  was  sent  to  inspect.    After 
they  were  gone,  he  pursued  his  journey,  seeking  the  op- 
portunity of  reaching  and  firing  the  bridcro.  but  falling 
in  with  the  camp  of  the  (rebel)  Second  Tennessee  Cav- 
alry, and  though  their  suspicions  were  not  aroused  as  to 
his  character,  they  insisted  on  fraternizing  with  him  to 
such  an  extent  that  he  had  great  difficulty  in  shaking 
them  off,  and  was  finally  obliged  to  use  threats,  which, 
while  they  had  the   effect   of  driving  his  pertinacious 
friends  away,  rendered  his  own  escape  a  matter  of  ne- 
cessity.    In  attempting  this,  he  got  into  a  swamp,  and 
endeavored  to  £ad  his  way  through  it  to  the  river,  an  J 
stealing  a  boat  float  down  under  the  bridge  and  fire  it. 
Failing  in  this,  and  knowing  that  there  was  no  time  to 
be  lost,  he  turned   his   course   and  moved  northward 
across  the  country  to  find  the  Union  army.     Travelling 
all  day  and  until  late  at  night,  he  was  at  length  startled 
by   the    deep-mouthed  baying,  first,  of  a  single  blood- 
hound, and  then  soon  after  of  several,  and  realized  at 
once  that  the  pursuers  with  their  bloodhounds  were  on 
his  track.     Turning  into  a  dense  body  of  timber  neai 
by,  he  soon  found  a  stream  of  water  about  waist  deep, 
into  which  he  plunged,  and  having  crossed  and  broken 
their  trail  by  so  doing,  he  plunged  into  another  swamp, 
where  he  kept  on  for   an  hour,  the  water  being  still 
nearly  to  his  waist.     Finding  at  length  a  pile  of  new 
rails  rising  a  little  above  the  water  he  clambered  upon 
them  and  was  soon  asleep,  though  he  could  yet  hear  the 
distant  baying   of  the  hounds.     In   the   morning,  be- 
numbed, and  almost  perishing  with  cold  and  hunger,  he 
again  waded  the  swamp  for  half  an  hour,  tiU  he  came  tc 

4 


50      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

the  rear  of  a  plantation,  and  attracting  the  attention  of 
an  aged  negro,  who,  on  finding  that  he  was  a  Yankee 
soldier,  brought  him  food,  procured  him  a  guide,  and 
cheered  him  on  his  way.  After  some  farther  adventures, 
in  which  he  confiscated  a  fine  rebel  horse  and  buggy 
and  brought  the  driver,  a  stalwart  negro,  into  the  Union 
lines,  he  reached  General  Mitchel's  headquarters  at 
Huntsville,  Alabama.  Immediately  on  his  return,  he 
was  sent  with  despatches  to  General  Buell,  at  Corinth. 
Though  very  weary  from  his  previous  adventures,  he 
set  out  immediately,  and  riding  a  powerful,  thorough- 
bred horse  at  the  top  of  his  speed  to  Fayetteville,  thirty- 
six  milcd  distant,  which  he  made  in  three  hours,  he  pro- 
cured another  horse  there,  and  continued  his  journey  at 
the  same  rapid  rate,  but  near  Columbia,  he  was  so  much 
exhausted  that  he  fell  from  his  horse  insensible,  and  lay 
an  hour,  unconscious,  on  the  ground,  but  recovering  his 
senses,  he  mounted  his  horse  again  and  delivered  his  de> 
spatches  at  Columbia,  from  whence  General  Negley  tele- 
graphed them  to  General  Buell.  On  his  return,  a  negro 
hailed  liim  and  informed  him  that  his  master  and  eight 
other  men  were  in  ambush  a  little  farther  on,  at  a 
(Small  mill,  and  intended  to  kill  him.  Thanking  the  ne- 
gro for  the  information,  he  rode  rapidly  to  the  mill,  and 
as  the  miller  ran  in  when  he  saw  him  coming,  he  called 
him  out  and  charged  him  with  his  murderous  intention. 
He,  at  first  denied  it,  but  being  told  that  it  was  of  no 
use,  and  that  if  he  did  not  own  up  the  whole  afiair  he 
(Pike)  would  bring  a  party  of  cavalry  from  Columbia 
and  burn  the  mill,  his  house  and  barn,  and  carry  ofi'  all 
his  property,  he  finally  confessed  who  were  his  confed- 
erates and  what  had  been  their  plans.     Taking  down 


NARRATIVES   OP    SPIES,    SCOUTS.    AND   DETECTIVES.       51 

their  names,  and  lecturing  the  old  man  severely,  Cor- 
noral  Pike  rode  away.  He  soon  overtook  a  comrade 
from  his  own  regiment,  and  feeling  ill,  stopped  with  his 
friend  and  another  Union  soldier  at  the  house  of  a  citi- 
zen, near  Meridian,  to  pass  the  night.  Here  an  attempt 
was  made  during  the  night  to  assassinate  him,  but  being 
awake  and  seeing  one  of  the  assassins  raise  and  aim  his 
gun  at  him  through  the  window,  he  fired  his  pistol,  and 
wounded  the  assassin,  probably  mortally.  His  comrades 
carried  him  off,  and  Pike  was  not  again  disturbed.  The 
next  morning  he  reached  Huntsville. 

General  Mitchel  immediately  sent  him  to  ascertain 
the  rebel  force  at  Bridgeport,  Tennessee.  He  reached 
*he  vicinity  without  any  notable  adventure,  ascertained 
the  number  and  position  of  the  rebel  troops,  made  his 
report  and  sent  it  by  a  Union  officer  who  had  escorted 
him  nearly  to  Bridgeport,  told  the  officer  he  w^ould  re- 
main in  the  mountains  till  the  Union  army  came  to  take 
Bridgeport.  Here,  after  some  adventure,  escaping  once 
from  the  rebel  pickets  only  by  shooting  the  sergeant,  and 
running  the  gauntlet  of  the  fire  of  the  squad ;  he  was 
taken  prisoner,  partly  in  consequence  of  his  own  care- 
lessness. He  was  taken  first  to  Bridgeport,  and  thence 
to  Chattanooga,  where  he  was  confined  in  the  jail,  where 
were,  at  that  time,  in  the  dungeon  twenty-one  men  from 
the  Second,  the  Twenty-first,  and  the  Thirty-third  Ohio 
regiments,  whose  adventures  are  related  elsewhere  in  this 
work.*  After --.onsiderable  suffering  here.  Corporal  Pike 
was  remDved  o  Knoxville  to  another  jail,  where  he  waa 
confined  in  an  iron  cage.     Here  he  was  told  that  he  wa» 


*  See  "Thk  Great  Railjoad  Ohabk."    Part  II. 


52 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 


to  be  tried  as  a  spy  and  would  undoubtedly  be  Lung. 
From  Knoxville,  he  was  sent  to  Mobile,  and  eight 
days  later,  removed  to  Tuscaloosa,  and  thence  to  Mont- 
gomery, Alabama,  where  he  was  taken  very  sick 
with  pneumonia  and  typhoid  fever,  and  was  treated 
with  great  inhumanity,  all  medicine  being  refused  him, 
and  he  being  left  for  twelve  days  lying  upon  the  deck 
of  the  boat,  without  a  bed  and  with  nothing  but  corn 
oread  and  spoiled  old  salt  junk  for  food.  From  Mtmt- 
gomery  he  was  sent  to  Macon,  Georgia.  Here,  weak  as 
he  was,  he  attempted  to  escape,  but  was  recaptured  six 
days  later,  being  run  down  with  bloodhounds.  Al-out 
the  1st  of  October,  1862,  he  was  sent  with  numeious 
other  prisoners  by  way  of  Savannah,  Augusta,  Coluitoia, 
Raleigh,  Petersburg,  and  Richmond,  for  exchange.  1'hey 
all  suffered  fearfully  on  the  route,  and  many  died.  On 
the  18th  of  October,  they  were  exchanged,  and  foor 
Pike,  reduced  to  a  skeleton,  and  almost  in  a  dying  srate, 
was  taken  to  the  Cliffbum  hospital  at  Washingion. 
Here,  for  some  months,  he  lay  almost  hopelessly  ill,  out 
in  March,  1863,  had  recovered  sufficiently  to  join  his 
regiment. 

Here  he  was  soon  again  at  his  old  work.  Riding  .>ut 
one  day  some  distance  beyond  the  lines  with  a  ht^u- 
tenant  of  his  company,  they  met  an  old  negro  preacher, 
who  told  them  that  there  was  a  large  body  of  ret-el 
soldiers  not  far  off.  Corporal  Pike  requested  the  lieu- 
tenant to  return  to  Murfreesboro  while  he  went  to  sae 
where  the  rebels  were.  After  some  scouting  he  dis- 
covered them,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  at 
the  foot  of  a  considerable  hill ;  his  position  being  above 
•■hem,  and  two  of  their  nen,  one  mounted  and  the  other 


NARRATIVES   OP    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTI^'ES.       53 

on  foot,  being  near  him,  he  approached  and  ordered  them 
to  halt,  and  as  they  fled  repeated  the  order  and  fired, 
mortally  wounding  the  mounted  one,  and  then  reloading, 
fired  at  the  one  on  foot,  whom  he  also  wounded  severely 
and  then  in  a  loud  voice  called  out  -Forward  the  Fourth  ! 
Forward  the  Fourth  Ohio  !"     Hearing  the  name  of  that 
re-iment,  which  was  a  terror  to  the  rebels  ui  all  that 
region,  the  whole  rebel  troop  took  to  their  horses  and 
fled  at  the  top  of  their  speed  (abandoning,  as  he  after- 
ward   learned,   a  large  forage    train)    toward  Auburn 
Beven   miles    distant.     After   seeing  them  well  started 
Pike  rode  off  toward  Murfreesboro.    Stopping  at  a  house 
which  they  had  passed,  he  told  the  woman  to  tell  them, 
when  they  returned,  that  there  was  but  one  man  in  the 
attacking  party,  and  that  he  said  he  had  flogged  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  them  and  could  do  it  again. 

He  next  explored  the  rebel  position  at  Woodbury, 
Tennessee,  dodging  and  frightening  the  rebel  pickets  by 
some  sharp  practice,  and  on  his  return  accompanied 
General  Stanley  in  his  raid  on  the  rebel  camps  near 
Middleton,  Tennessee,  and  while  actmg  as  aide  to 
Colonel  (acting  Brigadier-General)  Long,  had  some  very 
narrow  escapes,  being  at  one  time  for  a  considerable 
period  under  the  steady  and  continuous  fire  of  a  squad 

of  rebel  soldiers.  . 

Starting  soon  after  on  a  scouting  expedition  m  the 
vicinity  of  Harpeth  Shoals,  he  found  himself  among  a 
baud  of  guerillas,  with  whom  he  passed  himself  off"  as 
a  Texan  ranger,  and  learned  from  one  of  them  the  pur- 
poses of  the  rebel  oflicers,  and  especially  their  intention 
of  arresting  and  sending  South  a  Union  ladv.  the  wife 
of  a  brave  Union  offic(«.r,  then  in  tliat  vicm-ty.     Pro- 


54       NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

fessing  an  intention  of  going  to  the  rebel  camp,  he  ascer 
tained  the  truth  of  the  information  he  had  received, 
and  then  riding  to  the  house  of  the  imperiled  Union 
lad}',  he  informed  her  of  her  danger,  caught  her  a  horse, 
and  accompanied  her  to  Nashville,  avoiding  by  meana 
of  by-roads  the  rebel  pickets. 

The  forward  movement  of  Rosecrans'  army  on  Chatr 
tanooga  had  now  commenced,  and  Corporal  Pike  was 
pent  by  General  Stanley  as  a  scout  to  search  for  some 
steamboats  on  the  Hiawassee.  While  on  this  expedition 
he  passed  through  the  region  where  he  was  captured 
the  year  before,  and  after  frightening  relatives  of  the 
man  who  had  betrayed  him,  he  went  up  to  the  summit 
of  Cumberland  mountain,  and  near  Cowan,  in  a  narrow 
and  crooked  pass  of  the  mountain,  discovered  that  the 
rebels  were  blockading  the  gap,  witli  the  intention  of 
cutting  off  and  destroying  any  Union  troops  who  might 
pass  that  way.  They  had  felled  some  timber,  but  had 
not  put  much  of  it  in  position.  There  were  about 
twenty  rebel  soldiers,  who  were  guarding  the  gap  and 
directing  a  force  of  fifty  or  more  negroes  who  were 
felling  the  trees.  Finding  his  position  a  safe  one,  Pike 
determined  to  put  a  stop  to  tliis  proceeding,  and  accord- 
ingly fired  at  the  evident  leader  of  the  movem'i^nt,  and 
the  bullet  striking  his  horse  he  was  thrown  and  severely 
injured,  and  the  whole  band  of  rebels  were  thrown  into 
confusion ;  firing  again.  Pike  ordered  an  imaginary  com- 
rade tc  run  back  and  tell  the  regiment  to  hurry  up,  and 
then  turning  sent  another  shot  whizzing  among  them, 
while  he  ordered  a  pretended  body  of  skirmishers  to 
come  down  from  the  opposite  ridge  and  close  in  with 
the  rebels,  accompanying  this  order  with  such  gesture? 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES.       55 

as  to  lead  the  rebels,  who  could  see  him,  to  believe  that 
he  was  pointing  them  out  to  his  friends.  Firing  again^ 
he  shouted  "  hurrah,  boys,  we'll  surround  them !"  and 
the  rebels  jfled  in  the  greatest  terror,  the  negroes  shuf 
fling  along  after  them.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone  he 
crossed  the  pass  to  the  opposite  ridge,  and  followed  the 
top  of  the  ridge  the  remainder  of  that  day  and  night, 
and  till  nine  o'clock  the  following  morning,  when  he 
was  startled  by  hearing  the  sound  of  horses'  feet  behind 
him,  stopping  a  moment  and  listening,  he  ascertained 
that  there  were  about  a  dozen  of  them.  He  attempted 
to  elude  their  observation  by  running  out  upon  a  spur 
which  branched  off  from  the  main  mountain,  but  the 
timber  was  open  and  they  caught  sight  of  him  and  im- 
mediately pursued.  The  mountain  was  steep,  but  they 
gained  upon  him,  and  although  at  first  he  seemed  likely 
to  escape,  he  soon  came  to  the  top  of  a  cliff  about  three 
hundred  feet  high ;  turning  to  the  right  a  few  hundred 
yards,  he  again  found  a  place  where  he  could  descend  for 
some  distance,  but  was  then  stopped  by  another  cliff, 
which  projected  out  like  a  shelf  Below  the  right-hand 
end  of  this  cliff,  a  huge  hickory  tree  was  growing,  and 
its  shaggy  top  just  reared  itself  above  the  shelf  on  which 
he  stood,  the  trunk  being  about  eight  feet  from  the  edge 
of  the  cliff.  There  was  no  time  to  lose,  for  already  he  could 
hear  his  pursuers  clattering  over  the  rocks  above  him ;  so 
running  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff  and  looking  over  the  giddy 
height,  he  slung  his  rifle  across  his  back  and  leaping  out 
headforemost,  with  all  his  strength,  succeeded  in  grasp- 
ing the  body  of  the  tree  with  his  arms  and  holding, 
although  the  weight  of  his  accoutrements  almost  jerked 
lim  off.     Slic'ing  rapidly  down  the  tree  he  landed  on 


56      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AKD  DETECTIVES. 

another  bench  of  the  mountain,  from  which,  though  with 
torn  clothing  and  his  hands,  arms,  and  breast  bleeding 
profusel}^  from  wounds  received  from  the  rough  bark  of 
the  tree,  he  made  his  way  down  into  the  bottom  of  a 
deep  ravine,  and  neither  saw  nor  heard  any  thing  more 
of  his  pursuers.  Following  the  ravine  to  the  base  of  the 
mountain  he  was  an  involuntarj-  witness  to  the  patriotic 
devotion  of  a  lovsii  Tennessee  family,  the  husband  and 
father  of  which  had  been  obliged  to  conceal  himself  for 
months  to  escape  the  rebel  conscription,  and  his  devoted 
wife  had  brought  him  food  until  such  time  as  he  could 
join  the  Union  army. 

Continuing  his  search  for  the  steamboats,  he  came 
upon  the  home  of  "  Bob  White,"  on  Walden  Ridge. 
White  was  a  thorough  Unionist  and  the  leader  of  a 
body  of  thirty  to  sixty  Union  Tennesseans,  bush 
wackers,  who  were  the  terror  of  the  rebel  cavalry  in 
that  region.  He  was  welcomed  by  White's  family  and 
remained  with  them  one  night,  though  the  rebel  cavalry 
came  to  the  house  in  search  of  him,  and  White's  men 
also  called  him  up,  fearing  he  might  be  a  spy.  After 
stirring  ujd  the  rebels  at  one  or  two  points,  and  again 
finding  shelter  for  two  or  three  nights  among  the  perse- 
cuted East  Tennessee  Unionists,  attending  one  of  their 
religious  meetings  where  every  man  was  armed,  and  the 
services  were  conducted,  like  those  of  the  Covenanters 
three  hundred  years  ago,  after  night  and  in  the  conceal- 
ment of  the  forest,  lest  their  enemies  should  come 
upon  them. 

In  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  as  well  as  in  tie 
marches  and  skirmishes  which  preceded  it,  Corpoia/ 
Pike  was  actively  emoloyed  as  a  scout,  and  was  much 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       57 

of  the  time  in  imminent  peril,  while  he  rendered  excel- 
lent service  to  the  Union  army.     Leaving  the  Union 
army  at  Chattanooga,  he   next  set  out  with  General 
Crook's  cavalry  in   pursuit  of  Wheeler's  rebel  cavalry, 
which  had  been  attempting  to  break  up  the  Union  lines 
of  communication  with  Nashville,  where  he  had  his  share 
in  some  of  the  most  desperate  cavalry  fighting  of  the 
war,  being  on  two  occasions  the  target  of  the  enemy's 
rifles,  and  once  of  their  artillery.     Having  arrived  at 
Brownsboro,  General  Crook  sent  him  with  an  important 
despatch   from   General    Grant    to   General    Sherman, 
whose  location  was  not  definitely  known,  though  he  waa 
supposed  to  be  not  far  from  Corinth.     The  journey  was 
a  p  n-ilous  one  and  the  chances  of  success,  to  say  the 
least,  small ;  but  the  brave  fellow  did  not  hesitate  for  a 
moment,  and  taking  a  canoe  at  Whitesburg,  opposite 
Huntsville,  he  descended  the  Tennessee  river  for  more 
than  a  hundred  miles,  every  mile  of  which  was  picketed 
by  the  enemy,  ran  the  perilous  rapids  of  the  Muscle 
Shoals,  forty  miles  in  length,  alone,  and  after  being  pur- 
sued and  fired  at  by  the  rebels  repeatedly  landed  near  Tus- 
cumbia,  where  he  found  Union  troops,  and  was  sent  by 
special  train  to  luka,  where  General  Sherman  was,  but 
immediately  on  delivering  the  despatch  he  sunk  down 
exhausted  and  fainting  from  intense  fatigue.     General 
SheiTuan,  who  is  ever  chary  of  his  praise,  so  fully  ap- 
preciated the  daring  and  skill  of  this  achievement,  that 
he  gave  the  corporal  a  testimonial  in  which  ho  spoke  of 
him  in  the  highest  terms.     Returning  to  Ch  a  i  t  anooga,  he 
took  part  in  the  great  battles  of  November  23-25. 

In  a  subsequent  scouting  expedition  at  the  beginning 
of  1864,  they  found  that  ^  certain  rebel.  Colonel  W.  C, 


58      NARRATIVES   OF   SriES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES 

Walker,  who  had  commanded  a  brigade  at  CumberLind 
Gap,  had  returned  to  his  home  in  Cherokee  county.  N. 
C,  with  plenary  conscripting  powers,  and  was  endeavor- 
ing to  force  every  Union  man  in  the  region  into  the 
rebel  army,  committing,  at  the  same  time,  great  out- 
rages on  the  ftimilies  of  the  Unionists.     Pike  and  his 
companions  resolved  to  take  this  villain  prisoner  and 
convey  him  to  Chattanooga.     Pike's  party  consisted  of 
ten  scouts  and  a  few  citizens,  and  on  New  Year's  night 
they  went  to  Walker's  house,  surrounded  it,  and  called 
on  him  to  surrender.     He  demanded  who  they  w'ere, 
and  being  told  that  they  were  Yankee  soldiers,  and  that 
if  he  gave  himself  up  he  should  be  treated  like  a  gentle- 
man,  and  be  regarded  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  he  refused 
with  an  oath;  and  Pike  then  informed  him  that  resist- 
ance would  be  useless,  that  his  house  was  surrounded, 
and  that  they  would   take   him,   dead  or  alive.     Hp 
answered,  "  I  will  surrender  when  I  please."     Pike  and 
~"is  scouts,  knowing  that  he  had  a  body-guard  constantly 
about  him,  now  resolved  to  storm  the  house,  and  broke 
in  the  doors,  front  and  rear.     Walker  retreated  to  an 
inner  room,  and  still  refused  to  surrender,  making  a 
stand  with  the  evident  intention  of  selling  his  life  aa 
dearly  as  possible.     The  doors  of  this  room  also  having 
been  broken  in,  Pike  aimed  at  him  with  his  pistol,  again 
demanding  his  surrender ;  but  he  raised  his  Sharp's  car- 
bine to  shoot  Pike.     Seeing,  however,  that  the  latter 
had  the  advantage  of  him,  he  replied,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  "  Yes,  boys,  I'll  surrender,"  and  partly  turned 
to  lay  his  carbine  on  the  bed,  when  his  wife  caught  Pike's 
arm,  and  with  a  sudden  jerk  destroyed  his  aim.    Walker 
now  wheeled  instantlj,  caught  up  his  gun,  and  again 


LIVES   OF    SPIES.    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       59 

raised  it  to  shoot  Pike,  but  delayed  for  an  instant,  his 
daughter  being  between  them,  and  Pike  called  to  his 
men  to  shoot,  as  he  saw  Walker  was  determined  to  kill 
him,  and  Jack  Cook,  of  the  37th  Indiana,  fired,  and 
killed  him  instantly.  By  this  time.  Walker's  body- 
guard were  heard  in  another  part  of  the  house,  and  the 
daring  scouts  instantly  attacked  and  captured  them, 
without  firing  a  shot,  and  took  them  all  but  two  to 
Charleston,  Tenn.  After  some  months  spent  in  scout- 
ing, and  the  destruction  of  rebel  property,  under  the 
direction  of  General  Custer,  Colonel  Miller,  and  General 
Logan,  Pike  and  a  brother  scout,  Charles  A.  Gray,  were 
sent  by  direction  of  General  Thomas  to  Augusta,  Ga., 
to  endeavor  to  destroy  the  great  bridge  over  the  Savan- 
nah river,  and,  if  possible,  also  the  immense  powder- 
mill  which  supplied  most  of  the  powder  for  the  rebel 
armies.  Having  obtained  their  outfit  at  Nashville,  they 
set  out  on  their  perilous  undertaking,  going  by  w^ay  of 
Chattanooga  and  Eocky  Faced  ]{idge.  The  great  cam- 
paigns of  Sherman  and  Grant  had  now  commenced,  and 
it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  to  prevent  the  two 
rebel  generals  Johnston  and  Lee  from  sending  troops 
or  supplies  to  each  other.  The  destruction  of  the  rail 
road  bridge  at  Augusta  would  materially  derange  theii 
communications,  and  once  destroyed,  it  could  not  bo 
repaired  for  months.  Having  taken  part  in  the  battle 
of  Rocky  Faced  Ridge,  the  two  scouts  proceeded  thenc« 
to  the  Charleston  turnpike,  and  thence  went  on  foot,  over 
the  region  which  Pike  had  traversed  the  preceding  win- 
ter, and  where  Colonel  Walker  had  been  killed,  and 
found  the  rebels  still  in  terror  over  that  event ;  scaled 
the  W  ie  Ridge  on  the  20  h  of  May,  and  descending  its 


60      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,'  SCOUTS,   ANI»   DETECTIVES. 

eastern  slope,  came  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Tallulah 
river,  remarkable  for  its  numerous  cataracts.  They 
followed  this  stream  to  its  junction  with  the  Chattooga, 
the  two  forming  the  Tugalo,  one  of  the  two  affluents  oi 
the  Savannah  river.  Procuring  a  canoe,  they  floated 
down  this  stream,  which  had  numerous  rapids,  and 
thence  entered  the  Savannah,  which  above  Augusta  is 
a  very  rapid  and  rocky  stream.  They  reached  Ham- 
burg, opposite  Augusta,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1864,  and 
concealed  themselves  where  they  could  overlook  both 
cities ;  but  to  their  surprise  and  annoyance,  they  found 
that  there  were  great  numbers  of  Union  prisoners  there 
(twelve  or  fifteen  hundred),  on  their  way  to  Anderson- 
ville,  and  a  large  body  of  rebel  troops  guarding  them, 
and  that  it  would  be  utterly  impossible  for  them  to 
make  any  efibrt  to  accomplish  their  object,  and  nearly 
so  to  make  their  escape.  The  latter  was  all  they  could 
attempt,  and  during  the  night  they  got  off  and  attempted 
to  retrace  their  steps.  They  stole  a  couple  of  horses  and 
rode  them  rapidly  till  morning,  but  were  then  overtaken 
and  compelled  to  give  up  the  horses,  though  their  real 
character  and  objects  were  not  suspected.  Starting  off, 
then,  on  foot,  they  made  the  best  of  their  way  toward  the 
northwest,  but  two  hours  later  they  heard  the  baying 
of  the  bloodhounds,  and  knew  that  they  were  pursued. 
They  made  every  effort  to  break  the  trail,  passing 
through  swamps  and  streams,  doubling  in  their  tracks, 
etc.,  etc.,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 

The  pack  of  hounds  was  thirty-six  in  number,  and 
just  after  nightfall  their  loud  baying  showed  that  they 
were  close  upon  them;  and  in  the  midst  of  a  dense 
thicket,  the  two  men  were  compelled  to  stand  at  ba^ 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.       61 

and  figlit  with  the  savage  brutes,  and  the  equally  savage 
men  who  had  used  the  dogs  to  hunt  them  down.  On 
came  the  hounds  through  the  thick  undergrowth,  making 
the  deep  forest  echo  with  their  savage  baying,  until,  witk 
a  sudden  bDund,  the  leading  dog  was  upon  the  fugitives, 
his  eyes  glaring,  and  his  mouth  foaming.  For  an  instant 
he  paused,  as  he  saw  them  through  the  gloom,  and  the 
next  he  made  a  spring  directly  at  Gray's  face.  He  was 
large  and  snow-white,  and  this  made  him  the  better 
target,  and  as  he  sprang  Pike  turned  upon  him  and 
fired,  and  he  fell  dead  in  an  instant  But  at  that  mo- 
ment the  whole  pack  rushed  upon  them,  and  they  could 
only  distinguish  them  by  their  glaring  eyes  in  the  dark- 
ness, but  they  aimed  at  those,  and  killed  one  moie  and 
wounded  four  others,  with  nine  shots,  when  the  men 
came  up,  forcing  their  horses  through  the  brush,  cursing 
and  swearing  like  madmen.  When  they  had  approa<  hed 
within  about  a  hundred  yards,  the  two  scouts  ordt  red 
them  to  halt,  saying,  that  if  they  did  not  stop,  iney 
would  fire  on  them. 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  demanded  one  of  the  men. 

"Yankee  soldiers,"  answered  Pike. 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  our  country  ?" 

"  We  are  here  by  order  of  our  general." 

"  How  many  are  there  of  you  ?" 

"  Two." 

"Are  you  up  a  tree  ?" 

"No  !  we  are  not  the  sort  of  men  to  take  to  trees !" 

Then  moving  toward  them.  Pike  said  :  "  There  are 
but  two  of  us,  but  we  are  well  armed,  and  can  do  you  «» 
great  deal  of  damage  if  you  drive  us  to  it.  We  know 
^hat  you  h  ivr  a  strong  force  after  us,  for  we  have  seen 


62      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES^   SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

you  two  or  three  times  to-day ;  we  know  that  resistance 
on  our  part  would  only  result  in  useless  bloodshed  ;  still 
it  is  our  privilege  to  sell  our  lives  at  as  dear  a  price  as 
we  can  make  you  pay;  but  we  don't  want  to  hurt  you, 
nor  do  we  want  you  to  hurt  us ;  and  therefore,  if  you 
will  agree  to  treat  us  as  prisoners  of  war,  we  will  surren- 
der without  a  fight,  because  we  see  that  one  would  be 
useless." 

"  You  will  soon  be  made  to  surrender  on  our  terms,** 
replied  the  rebels. 

"  Then  approach  us  at  your  peril,"  answered  Pike, 
"  for  we  shall  shoot  as  long  as  we  can  crook  a  finger.** 

Resolute  as  this  reply  was,  they  were  in  fact  helpless; 
their  ammunition  exhausted,  and  the  four  or  live  charges 
in  their  pi^stols  had  all  been  tried  on  the  dogs,  but  had 
failed  to  go  off  from  the  foulness  of  the  weapons. 

While  this  parley  had  been  going  on,  another  large 
party  had  come  up,  and  the  two  were  disputing  among 
themselves.  Presently  they  hailed  the  two  scouts  plea- 
santly, "  Halloo,  Yank."  "  Halloo  yourself,"  was  the 
answer.  "  If  you  will  surrender,  we  will  treat  you  as 
prisoners  of  war,  and  there  shall  not  one  hair  of  your 
head  be  touched,"  said  the  commander  of  the  party. 
"  All  right,"  answered  the  scouts,  "  on  these  conditions, 
and  no  others,  you  can*  have  our  arms.  Let  two  men 
come  over  and  take  our  weapons,"  they  asked.  The 
rebels  consented,  but  demanded  that  they  should  fire 
tliem  in  the  air  first.  The  scouts  could  not  do  this,  be- 
;ause  the  attempt  would  show  how  helpless  they  were, 
.)ut  they  objected  on  the  ground  that  it  evinced  a  lack 
of  confidence  in  their  honor.  The  rebel  commander 
then  ordered  them  to  stand  still  and  they  would  come 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       C)3 

fo  cIkmii.  They  did  so,  and  when  completely  surrounded, 
pive  up  their  arms,  Gray  joking  with  thorn  freely.  No 
sooner  were  the  arms  delivered,  than  a  part  of  the 
rebels  clianged  their  manner,  and  began  to  abuse  them, 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Chamberlain,  a  renegade  from 
Massachusetts,  who  it  seemed  owned  the  bloodhounds, 
swearing  that  if  they  had  shot  one  of  the  dogs  ne  would 
kill  them.  They  now  set  out  on  their  return  toward 
Augusta,  or  rather  toward  Edgefield,  S.  C,  and  stopped 
at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Series,  who  treated  them  kindly, 
and  endeavored  to  pacify  the  drunken  crowd  who  were 
taking  them  along,  as  did  his  wife ;  but  his  two  daugh- 
ters went  among  the  gang,  and  begged  them  to  hang 
the  two  Yankees.  *'  Don't  let  them  live,  men !  don't 
let  them  live !"  they  said,  and  by  their  urgency  they 
had  soon  "  fired  the  Southern  heart"  up  nearly  to  the 
point  of  murder.  Mr.  Series  exerted  himself  to  the 
utmost,  however,  to  quiet  them,  and  they  finally  were 
allowed  their  supper,  and  moved  off  to  the  house  of 
Lieut.  Col.  Talbot,  one  of  their  captors.  Here  they 
were  allowed  an  hour  or  two  sleep,  and  on  awakening* 
in  the  morning,  found  that  the  party  who  had  capture^J 
them  had  all  left,  and  that  they  were  in  the  hands  of 
party  of  drunken  militia,  who  did  not  regard  themselves 
as  bound  in  any  respect  by  the  stipulations  of  their  cap- 
tors These  brutes  roused  them  up,  tied  them  very 
securely,  and  then  marched  them  to  the  woods  near  by, 
and  made  preparations  to  hang  them.  They  began  with 
Pike,  and  having  their  rope  ready,  asked  him  if  he  had 
any  confession  to  make? 

"No,"  was  his  reply       '  I  have  nothing  to  confess  tn 
you 


A      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

"  Do  yon  desire  to  pray  ?"  they  asked. 

"  No,"  was  his  reply  again.  "  I  am  ready  to  die,  and 
don't  fear  death." 

"  Have  you  nothing  to  say  ?"  they  asked,  astonished 
at  his  coolness. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  I  have  something  to  say  that  may 
interest  you." 

"  Out  with  it  then,"  said  one. 

He  then  told  them  very  coolly  that  they  were  United 
States  soldiers,  acting  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties, 
and  that  they,  as  citizens,  had  no  right  to  interrupt  them; 
that  the  general  under  whose  orders  they  (the  scouts^ 
were  acting  would  retaliate  promptly  if  a  hair  of  theii 
heads  were  injured,  and  their  sons  in  the  Confederate 
army  might  be  the  men  on  whom  the  retaliation  would 
fall.  He  told  them  farther,  that  he  and  Gray  belonged 
to  different  regiments,  and  that  if  they  were  hung,  their 
regiments,  which  were  sure  to  come  thither,  would 
bum  every  dollar's  worth  of  property  they  possessed, 
and  hang  every  man  concerned  in  the  transaction.  "K,** 
he  continued,  "  you  are  prepared  to  abide  these  conse- 
quences, I  am." 

The  ringleaders  now  withdrew  for  a  short  time,  for 
consultation,  leaving  the  two  scouts  under  a  guard. 
After  a  little  they  returned,  took  them  back  to  Talbot's 
house,  and  untied  them,  and  Mrs.  Talbot  gave  them 
a  bountiful  breakfast.  Talbot  himself  was  a  villain; 
he  had  attempted  the  preceding  night  to  murder 
them,  after  giving  his  pledge  that  not  a  hair  of  their 
heads  should  be  touched,  and  had  only  failed  because 
his  gun  would  not  go  of^.  He  and  Chamberloin  now 
promised  to  tike  them  to  Edgefield,  and  as  they  had 


NARRATTVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIYES.       65 

l)een  forewarned  that  a  crowd  had  assembled  on  the 
lower  road  to  murder  them,  they  asked  to  be  taken  by 
the  upper  route,  and  their  captors  finally  consented. 
Arriving  at  Edgefield,  the  provost-marshal,  who  desired 
to  have  them  murdered  by  a  mob,  refused  to  receive 
them  from  the  militia,  but  a  rebel  lieutenant  who  was 
there,  overruled  him  and  ordered  them  to  be  put  in  the 
jail,  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  military  authorities  at 
Augusta.  Here,  they  were  examined  very  closely,  and 
questioned  carefully,  separately ;  but  as  they  had  buried 
all  their  bridge-burning  fixtures  before  leaving  Hamburg, 
and  hnd  agreed  upon  the  statements  they  were  to  make, 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  entangling  them.  On  the 
9  th  of  June,  they  were  taken  to  Augusta.  Here,  they 
were  confined  on  the  smallest  possible  allowance  of  food, 
for  fifty-seven  days,  when  they  were  removed  under  a 
strong  guard  to  Charleston,  where  they  were  put  in  the 
tower  of  the  jail  and  kept  five  months  under  fire  from 
the  Union  batteries.  Vigorous  efibrts  were  made  to  pro- 
cure their  exchange,  by  the  highest  officers  of  the  Union 
army,  but  in  vain.  When  General  Sherman's  march 
through  the  Carolinas  compelled  the  evacuation  of 
Charleston,  they  were  removed  to  Columbia,  and  when 
that  was  threatened,  they  were  sent  to  Winnsboro  on 
foot,  with  the  intention  of  taking  them  to  Salisbury, 
North  Carolina,  but  on  the  way  both  escaped.  Gray 
getting  away  fii'st,  and  Pike  the  next  night,  February 
18th,  1865,  and  after  wandering  about  for  two  days,  the 
latter  found  his  way  into  the  Union  lines,  where  Gray 
had  preceded  him. 

He  was  most  cordially  received  and  fitted  out  in  con- 
nection with  Kilpatrick's  command,  and  when  General 
5 


66      NAJIRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

Sherman  reached  Cheraw,  was  sent  to  carry  despatcLed 
to  Wilmington  which  was  then  occupied  by  the  Union 
troops  under  Generals  Schofield  and  Terry.  The 
journey  was  a  perilous  one,  as  he  descended  Cape  Fear 
river  from  the  mouth  of  Rockfish  creek,  a  distance  of 
more  than  a  hundred  miles,  in  an  open  boat ;  and  the 
whole  shore  of  the  river  was  lined  with  rebel  troops. 
Having  reached  Wilmington  in  safety  and  delivered  his 
despatches,  he  was  innncdiately  requested  to  carry  de- 
spatches also  to  Newbern  and  Kinston,  where  he  found 
General  Schofield.  Three  hours  after  the  delivery  of 
these,  General  Schofield  entrusted  him  with  a  despatch  for 
General  Sherman  which  he  wished  taken  across  the 
country.  He  started  immediately,  and  after  a  long  and 
Bomewhat  dangerous  tramp  (for  he  could  only  go  on  foot 
in  safety),  he  reached  the  general  near  Faison's  depot. 
After  the  battle  of  Bentonville  he  applied  for  and  re- 
ceived his  discharge,  having  been  in  the  service  seven 
months  over  the  time  for  which  he  had  enlisted,  and  on 
the  1st  of  April,  1865,  was  mustered  out  at  Columbus. 
It  would  be  hard,  we  think,  to  find  in  the  history  of  any 
war,  an  instance  of  a  scout  or  spy  who  had  encountered 
more  dangers,  hardships,  and  risks,  or  surmounted  them 
more  gallantly  than  Corporal  James  Pike. 


A  FEMALE  SCOUT  AND  SPY. 

During  the  war,  a  very  considerable  number  of  women 
nave  entered  the  secret  service  of  the  commanders  of  the 
Union  armies,  and  perhaps  quite  as  many,  or  more, 
have  been  employed  by  the  rebel  generals  in  obtaining 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVLS.       G'/ 

information  of  the  situation  and  purposes  of  the  Union 
troops.     The  adventures  of  many  of  these,  for  obvious 
reasons,  have  not  as  yet  been  made  pubhc,  and  some  of 
them  may  perhaps  never   be  recorded.     Among  them 
have  been  a  number  of  actresses,  whose  profession  haa 
given  them  extraordinary  facilities  for  this  service,  and 
whose  intense  loyalty  has  caused  them  to  run  fearful 
risks  to  render  it  service.     Of  some  of  these  we  shall 
have   occasion  to   speak  by-and-by.     One  of  the  most 
adroit  and  successful  of  these  was  not  an  actress,  nor  a 
native  of  the  United  States.     Miss  S.  E.  E.  Edmonds, 
better  known,  perhaps,  as  ''  The  Nurse  and  Spy,"  is  a 
native  of  the  province  of  New  Brunswick,  and  having 
an  earnest  desire  to  acquire  a  superior  education,  with 
a  view  to  becoming  a  foreign  missionary,  and  possessing 
besides  an  energetic  and  independent  disposition,  came 
to  the  United  States,  we  beheve,  in  1859  or  1860,  and 
for  a  time  acted  as  a  canvasser  for  some  books  published 
in  Hartford,  Conn.     When  the  war  broke  out,  she  at 
once  resolved  to  devote  herself  to  the  work  of  nursing 
the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  and 
went  to  Washington  for  that  purpose.     After  spending 
eight  or  nine  months  in  this  duty,  she  learned  that  one 
of  the  spies  in  General  McClellan's  service  had  been 
captured  by  the  rebels  in  Kichmond,  and  executed,  and 
that  it  was  necessary  that  his  place  should  be  filled. 
Miss  Edmonds  was  daring  and  resolute,  capable  of  en- 
during an  extraordinary  amount  of  fatigue,  an  accom- 
plished equestrienne,  and  a  capital  shot,  and  possessed 
of  quick  and  ready  perceptions,  and  great  intelligence, 
while   her   powers   of  impersonation  were   unrivalled. 
She  applied  for  the  position,  and  was  accepted  after  a 


68      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

very  tliorougli  examination.  Her  first  disguit^e  was 
that  of  a  negro  boy.  Passing  safely  through  the  Union 
lines,  and  past  the  rebel  pickets,  she  entered  the  suburbs 
of  Yorktown,  and  met  with  some  negroes  who  were  car- 
rying out  supplies  to  the  pickets.  Mingling  with  these, 
the  pretended  contraband  soon  attracted  tlie  attention 
of  a  young  rebel  officer,  who  demanded,  "  Who  do  yuu 
belong  to,  and  why  are  you  not  at  w^ork  ?"  '*1  doesn't 
b'long  to  nobody,  massa ;  Fse  free,  and  allers  was ;  I'se 
gw}aie  to  Richmond  to  work,"  was  the  reply.  The  offi- 
cer, apparently  astonished  that  a  free  negro  should  aver 
his  freedom,  ordered  him  immediately  set  to  work  wheel- 
ing gravel  up  a  parapet  about  eight  feet  high,  for 
strengthening  the  works,  and  ordered  that  he  should 
receive  twenty  lashes  if  he  did  not  do  his  work  well. 
The  w^ork  was  very  severe,  even  for  a  strong  and  robust 
man,  and  though  the  negroes  comprising  the  gang  helped 
what  they  could,  yet  before  night  the  hands  of  the 
pseudo-contraband  were  blistered  from  the  wrists  to  the 
tips  of  the  fingers,  and  she  was  completely  exhausted. 
After  resting  a  little,  however,  she  made  an  inspection 
of  the  fortifications,  sketched  them,  ascertained  the  num- 
ber, size,  and  position  of  the  guns,  carefully  concealing 
her  notes  between  the  soles  of  her  contraband  shoes. 
Securing  the  services  of  a  young  negro  to  take  her  place 
the  next  day  on  the  parapet,  she  entered  upon  the  easier 
service  of  carrying  water  to  a  brigade  stationed  near  ihe 
rebel  headquarters.  Here  she  obtained  some  important 
information  in  regard  to  the  numbers  and  intentions  of 
the  rebels,  and  de/ccted  a  rebel  spy,  who,  under  the 
guise  of  a  peddler,  had  often  visited  the  Union  head- 
quarters,  and  who   had   caused   the   death  of  one  of 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,   SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.       69 

McClellan's  staff  officers,  a  friend  of  Miss  Edmunds. 
At  night,  going  out  to  the  picket  lines,  the  pretended 
contraband  was  entrusted  with  a  fine  rifle,  and  put  upon 
picket  duty.  Availing  herself  of  the  opportunity,  she 
now  escaped  to  the  Union  lines,  bringing  her  rifle  as  a 
trophy,  and  soon  after  reported  it  headquarters.  Her 
next  expedition  was  under  the  guise  of  an  old  Irish 
woman,  engaged  in  peddling  cakes,  etc.,  among  the 
rebel  soldiers.  This  was  soon  after  McClellan  had 
reached  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy.  Losing  her 
way  in  the  Chickahominy  swamps,  she  suffered  from  a 
violent  attack  of  fever  and  ague,  and  for  two  days  lay 
in  the  swamp  without  food  or  shelter,  her  stock  of  food 
having  been  spoiled  in  crossing  the  Chickahominy.  On 
the  third  day  she  was  roused  by  heavy  firing,  and 
crawling  in  the  direction  whence  it  proceeded,  came 
soon  to  an  opening  and  a  small  frame  house,  which  had 
been  deserted  by  its  inhabitants,  but  in  which  she  found 
a  dying  rebel  officer.  She  ransacked  the  house  for  arti- 
cles of  food,  and  succeeded  in  finding  a  little  meal  and 
some  tea,  and  soon  prepared  a  tolerable  meal  for  the 
d3dng  soldier,  who  had  been  some  days,  without  food, 
and  also  something  to  stay  her  own  hunger.  Being 
unable,  from  exhaustion,  to  go  upon  her  mission,  and 
finding  that  the  poor  man  had  but  a  few  hours  to  live, 
she  cared  for  him  as  tenderly  as  she  could,  and  before 
he  died,  he  gave  her  his  watch  and  papers,  with  direc- 
tions to  deliver  them  to  Major  McKee,  of  General 
E well's  stafi",  and  expressed  his  gratitude  to  her  for  her 
kindness. 

After  bis  death,  she  rested  for  a  short  time,  and  then 
gathering   from   the  house  what  supplies  she  could,  to 


70      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

make  up  an  outfit  for  her  assumed  character,  she  wended 
her  way  to  the  rebel  camp,  five  or  six  miles  distant,  and 
having  ascertained  what  she  could  of  the  position  and 
intentions  of  the  rebels,  and  the  location  of  the  batteries 
they  had  concealed  along  the  route  of  the  approach  of 
the  Union  army,  she  sought  Major  McKee,  but  was 
obliged  to  wait  till  five  P.  M.  before  she  could  see  him. 
He  was  very  much  afiected  at  the  intelligence  of  Captain 
Hall's  death,  and  offered  to  reward  her,  but  she  would 
axjcept  no  reward.  He  then  requested  her  to  guide  a 
detachment  of  his  men  to  the  place  where  the  captain 
had  died.  As  she  was  really  unable  to  walk  that  dis- 
tance, at  her  request  he  furnished  her  with  a  horse  to 
ride.  The  lone  house  was  on  debatable  ground,  and  there 
was  reason  to  fear  that  the  Union  troops  might  fall  upon 
them  while  engaged  in  this  humane  work ;  but  they 
reached  the  place  in  safety  and  found  the  body,  and  the 
commander  of  the  detachment  requesting  her  to  ride 
down  the  road  and  see  if  there  were  any  Yankees  in 
eight,  she  complied  with  his  request  very  willingly,  and 
became  so  much  interested  in  her  search  that  she  did 
not  draw  rein  till  she  arrived  in  the  Union  camp,  when 
she  reported  her  discoveries,  and  prevented  the  army 
from  falling  into  the  traps  set  for  them.  The  horse  thus 
taken  from  the  enemy,  though  spirited,  proved  a  vicious 
brute,  and  with  its  teeth  and  heels  came  near  costing 
her  her  hfe.  At  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  she  acted  as 
orderly  to  General  Kearny,  and  twice  swam  the  Chick- 
ahominy  to  hurry  forward  reinforcements  for  the  sorely 
pressed  Union  troops.  In  the  retreat  across  the  Penin- 
sula, she  was  again  repeatedly  under  fire,  while  serving 
as  orderl}'  or  on  detached  duty  with  the  wouiided;  and 


NARRATIVES  OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES.       71 

under  the  assumed  name  of  Frank  Thompson  took  part 
in  most  of  the  battles  of  that  famous  retreat.  During 
the  last  few  days  of  Pope's  campaign,  she  was  sent  three 
time?  into  the  enemy's  camp,  and  under  different  dis- 
guises ;  once  as  a  negress ;  and  again,  in  other  characters, 
she  penetrated  to  their  headquarters,  and  brought  away, 
not  only  information  of  their  intended  movements,  but 
valuable  orders  and  papers. 

After  the  battle  of  Antietam,  when  following  Lee 
back  to  the  Rapidan,  while  on  detached  service,  a  body 
of  cavalry  with  whom  Miss  Edmonds  was  travelling, 
were  attacked  by  guerillas  and  her  horse  killed  under 
her,  and  she  herself  seriously  injured  and  robbed. 
Union  troops  soon  came  up,  however,  and  defeated  the 
guerillas  and  restored  her  money.  In  the  battle  of  Fred- 
ericksburg, under  her  assumed  name  of  Frank  Thomp- 
son, she  acted  as  aid-de-camp  to  General  Hancock,  and 
was  under  fire  during  the  whole  period.  After  General 
Hooker  took  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  she 
went  to  the  Western  army,  overtaking  at  Louisville  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps,  to  which  she  had  been  for  some  time 
attached. 

Here  she  was  not  long  in  resuming  her  former  voca- 
tion as  a  spy,  and  having  aided  in  the  capture  of  some 
rebel  prisoners,  she  donned  the  butternut  garb,  and  as  a 
Kentuckian,  sympathizing  with  the  rebels,  wandered 
into  their  camp,  but  was  presently  pounced  upon  by  a 
rebel  cavalry  captain  and  conscripted  into  service ;  but 
having  to  go  into  action  before  taking  the  oath,  the  con- 
script managed  to  get  upon  the  Union  side,  and  wounded 
severely,  though  not  mortally,  the  rebel  captain  who 
had  attempted  tosecu-e  her  services.     As  the  duty  of  a 


72      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

spy  after  this  was  likely  to  be  extra  hazardous,  the 
commanding  general  detailed  Miss  Edmonds  to  detec- 
tive duty  in  Louisville,  and  with  great  skill  and  tact 
she  managed  to  detect  and  secure  the  capture  of  several 
rebel  spies  then  in  the  city.  She  next  visited  Vicksburg, 
and  after  serving  some  time  in  the  hospitals  there  as  a 
nurse,  was  compelled  by  broken  health  to  leave  the  army 
for  a  time. 


The  Irish  Sentinel. — A  son  of  the  Green  Isle,  a  new 
member  of  Colonel  Gillem's  Middle  Tennessee  regiment, 
while  stationed  at  Nashville  recently,  was  detailed  on 
guard  duty  on  a  prominent  street  of  that  city.  It  was 
his  first  experience  at  guard-mounting,  and  he  strutted 
along  his  beat  apparently  with  a  full  appreciation  of  the 
dignity  and  importance  of  his  position.  As  a  citizen 
approached,  he  shouted — 

"  Halt !     Who  comes  there  ?" 

"A  citizen,"  was  the  response. 

''Advance,  citizen,  and  give  the  countersign." 

"I  haven't  the  countersign;  and,  if  I  had,  the  de- 
mand for  it  at  this  time  and  place  is  something  very 
strange  and  unusual,"  rejoined  the  citizen. 

*'An',  by  the  howly  Moses,  ye  don't  pass  this  way  at 
all  till  ye  say  Bunker  Hill,"  was  Pat's  reply. 

The  citizen,  appreciating  the  "situation,"  advanced 
and  cautiously  whispered  in  his  ear  the  necessary  words. 

"  Right !  Pass  on."  And  the  wide  awake  sentinel 
resumed  his  beat. 


NARRATIYES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.       73 

ADVENTURES    OF    HARRY    NEWCOMER 

A   SCOUT    AND   SPY   IN   THE   ARMY   OF   THE    CUMBERLAND. 

Among  the  many  spies  and  detectives  employed  by  the 
commanders  of  the  Union  armies,  in  procuring  informa- 
tion concerning  the  condition,  purposes,  and  position  of 
the  enemy,  or  the  evil  deeds  of  rebel  sympathizers,  none 
perhaps,  has  passed  through  more  interesting  adventures, 
than  he  whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch. 
We  have  compiled  from  the  police  record  of  the  "An- 
nals of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,"  the  following 
history  of  some  of  his  adventures  and  escapes. 

Harry  Newcomer  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
bom  in  Lancaster  county,  in  March,  1829.  He  was 
born  and  brought  up  in  a  hotel,  and  was  employed  as  a 
bar  tender  in  his  boyhood.  At  the  age  of  fourteen,  his 
mother  died,  and  his  father  broke  up  housekeeping,  and 
soon  afterward  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  miller  in  Ohio. 
After  serving  out  his  time,  he  continued  for  some  years 
in  the  business,  until  his  brother-in-law  was  elected 
sheriff  of  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  when  he  was  appointed 
one  of  his  deputies.  In  1857,  he  removed  to  Cleveland, 
and  was  employed  by  United  States  Marshal  Jabez 
Fitch,  as  a  detective  officer.  He  retained  this  situation 
for  about  three  years,  and  was  successful  in, ferreting  out 
and  bringing  to  punishment  a  number  of  noted  cases  of 
crime,  especially  of  counterfeiters.  At  that  time  the 
authorities  had  ascertained  that  a  large  business  was 
done  in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  counterfeit  money 
in  Geauga  county,  Ohio,  but  all  attempts  to  obtain  any 
positive  evidence  to  fasten  the  guilt  upon  the  suspected 


74       NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

parties  had  failed.  Newcomer  had  already  acquired  a 
high  reputation  as  a  shrewd  and  successful  detective, 
and  it  was  determined  to  set  him  at  work  upon  the  case. 
He  was  instructed  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  an  old 
blacksmith,  named  Jesse  Bowen,  who  cultivated  also  a 
small  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Burton  Square  in  that 
county.  Bowen  was  notoriously  a  lawless,  bad  man, 
and  had  been  for  many  years  engaged  in  all  manner  of 
frauds  and  crimes,  but  had  managed  to  escape  detection 
and  punishment.  He  was  now  seventy-eight  years  of 
age,  a  friendless,  unsocial  old  villain,  whose  house  was 
shunned  by  all  who  cared  for  their  reputation  or  candor. 
Newcomer  introduced  himself  to  him  as  William  H, 
Hall,  an  extensive  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  counter- 
feit money.  He  had  with  him,  as  evidence  of  his  be- 
longing to  the  fraternity,  considerable  amounts  of  coun- 
terfeit bills  on  various  banks,  with  which  he  had  been 
abundantly  supplied.  After  two  or  three  interviews,  by 
that  sort  of  fascination  with  which  he  is  so  eminently 
endowed,  he  succeeded  in  winning  completely  the  old 
man's  confidence,  and  learned  from  him  the  names  of 
all  those  who  were  connected  with  the  gang  of  counter 
feiters.  He  did  more  than  this.  Won  by  the  apparent 
cordiality  of  Newcomer,  who  assisted  him  on  his  little 
farm,  he  unearthed  his  machinery  and  engaged  with 
him  in  the  manufacture  of  bogus  coin,  gave  him  the 
pass-word,  and  introduced  him  to  all  the  members  of  the 
gang,  with  whom  he  was  presently  on  the  best  of  terms. 
In  an  excess  of  communicativeness,  Bowen  one  day 
called  young  Newcomer  into  an  orcnard  and  revealed  to 
him,  in  confidence,  that  he  and  his  brother  had,  in  early 
life,  murdered  their  brother-in-law,  in  Vermont,  and  that 


NARRATIVES  OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND  DETECTIVES.      75 

they  had  only  been  saved  from  the  gallows,  by  a  man 
being  found  who  bore  a  remarkably  strong  resemblance 
to  the  murdered  man,  and  who  was  induced  to  swear  that 
he  was  the  man  supposed  to  be  killed.  This  was  the 
celebrated  Corbin  case  so  often  referred  to,  m  criminal 
trials. 

Having  finally  implicated  the  entire  gang  of  counter- 
feiters, and  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  their 
haunts  and  residences.  Newcomer  plead  that  urgent 
business  called  him  away,  and  repairing  to  Cleveland, 
reported  progress  to  the  United  States  Marshal,  and 
officers  were  sent,  and  the  whole  number  arrested,  tried, 
convicted,  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary. 

In  1860,  he  removed  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  was  soon  employed  in  the  detection  and  ar- 
rest of  a  noted  counterfeiter,  named  Charleh  Coventry, 
a  man  of  gigantic  strength,  and  the  terror  of  the  whole 
region.  This  was  accomplished  with  his  us5ual  adroit- 
ness, and  the  desperate  villain  trapped,  tried,  convicted, 
and  sent  to  prison  for  five  years.  In  about  a  year,  he 
had  succeeded  in  detecting  and  bringing  to  justice  sixty- 
eight  criminals,  counterfeiters,  burglars,  horse  thieves, 
and  villains  of  all  sort.  In  1861,  his  extraordinary  suc- 
cess having  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  other  detectives 
of  Pittsburg,  he  removed  to  Chicago,  but  finding  no  em- 
ployment which  suited  him,  he  enlisted  as  a  non-com- 
missioned officer  in  the  Eleventh  Indiana  Battery.  With 
this  battery  he  served  throughout  Buell's  campaign  to 
Nashville  and  Shiloh,  to  Corinth  and  Huntsville,  Ala- 
bama, when  the  old  love  of  adventure  coming  upon  him, 
he  began  to  act  as  a  scout  on  his  own  account,  reporting, 
when  any  thing  of  ii  terest  came  to  his  knowledge,  to 


76      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

Colonel,  afterward  General  Harker,  of  the  Sixty-fifth  Ohio 
Volunteers,  who  then  commanded  the  brigade  to  which 
he  was  attached.  The  colonel,  pleased  with  his  skill 
and  adroitness,  gave  him  passes  and  encouraged  him  to 
continue  to  make  these  scouting  expeditions  as  he  had 
opportunity. 

Frequently  he  would  go  down  to  the  Tennessee  river 
m  sight  of  the  rebel  pickets  ;  and  one  night  he  conclu- 
ded to  cross  the  river  and  get  a  nearer  view  of  them. 
Striking  the  stream  at  a  point  three  miles  from  Steven- 
eon,  he  built  a  raft  of  rails  and  paddled  himself  across. 
Crawling  up  the  bank  through  the  bush,  he  came  close 
upon  the  pickets,  seven  in  number,  without  being  ob- 
served. After  watching  their  movements  awhile,  and 
finding  nothing  of  particular  interest,  he  rrturned  safely 
as  he  went.  Soon  afterward,  a  negro  told  him  of  an 
island  in  the  Tennessee  river,  some  ten  miles  below  Ste- 
venson, on  which  a  company  of  guerilla  cavalry  were 
in  the  habit  of  rendezvousing  every  night.  This  opened 
a  large  field  of  operations  for  our  scout,  and  he  deter- 
mined to  visit  the  island  forthwith.  One  afternooon, 
borrowing  a  suit  of  butternut  from  a  negro  at  Stevenson, 
he  set  forth  in  that  direction.  The  butternut  clothes 
were  carried  under  his  saddle  until  he  was  fairly  outside 
of  our  lines,  when  he  exchanged  his  own  for  them  and 
went  on  in  the  character  of  a  genuine  native.  Reach- 
ing the  river  opposite  the  island  after  dark,  he  again 
constructed  a  raft  of  rails,  fastening  them  together  this 
time  with  grape-vines,  and  shoved  across  the  narrow 
channel  to  the  island,  landing  in  a  dense  canebrake. 
Carefully  feeling  his  way  through  this,  he  came  soon  to 
a  corn-crib,  around  which  twenty-five  or  thirty  horses 


NAKRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND    DETECTIVES.       77 

were  feeding.  It  was  now  ten  o'clock,  and  quite  dark, 
but  clear  and  starlight.  Examining  the  crib,  the  en- 
trance was  discovered  about  half-way  up,  and  our  ad- 
venturer at  once  clambered  up  and  put  his  head  and 
shoulders  through.  Careful  listening  revealed  the  pres- 
ence of  sleepers  within.  Putting  his  hand  down  to 
see  how  far  it  was  to  them,  it  came  in  contact  with  the 
body  of  a  man.  Wishing  to  know  in  what  direction  he 
was  lying,  he  felt  along  carefull}'^  and  came  upon  a  pis- 
tol in  his  belt.  Working  at  this,  he  soon  drew  it  out, 
and,  finding  it  a  good  Colt's  revolver,  put  it  into  his 
pocket  and  got  down  again.  Exploring  around,  he  came 
to  a  com  patch  and  a  cabin  near  by,  in  which  there 
seemed,  from  the  noise  within,  to  be  a  family  or  two  of 
negroes.  Crossing  to  the  south  or  rebel  side  of  the 
island,  he  found  that  the  stream  was  much  narrower 
there  than  on  the  other  side,  and  that  close  to  the  shore 
a  number  of  boats  and  scows,  in  which  the  band  crossed 
and  recrossed,  were  tied.  It  was  now  time  to  think 
about  getting  home,  and  he  circled  around  the  crib  and 
cabin  to  reach  the  place  where  he  had  left  his  raft. 
When  he  came  in  sight  of  it,  there  was  also  to  be  seen 
a  human  form  standing  by  the  water's  edge  and  appar- 
ently regarding  the  raft  with  no  Uttle  astonishment.  In 
the  uncertain  light,  it  was  impossible  to  tell  whether  it 
was  man  or  woman,  white  or  black;  and  there  was 
nothing  to  do  but  wait  until  it  disappeared.  Crouching 
down  amid  'the  canes,  he  soon  saw  it  turn  and  begin  to 
climb  the  bank  directly  toward  him ;  as  a  precautionary 
measure  he  took  out  the  pistol  and  cocked  it,  though  he 
could  not  see  or  feel  whether  it  was  loaded  or  not.  The 
person  proved  to  be  a  negro,  and  passed  by,  unconscious 


78      NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

of  the  presence  of  any  one  so  near,  soliloquizing  to  him- 
Belf  thus  : — "  Mighty  quare  boat  dat  ar ;  'spec's  some  of 
Masser  John's  work."  This  danger  having  passed,  our 
self-appointed  spy  descended,  and  re-embarked  on  his 
raft.  Lest  any  one  should  see  him,  he  lay  flat  upon  it, 
paddling  with  extended  arms,  the  whole  presenting  very 
much  the  appearance  of  a  floating  mass  of  drift  wood. 
By  the  time  he  reached  the  opposite  shore  his  butter- 
nut suit  was  pretty  thoroughly  soaked,  but  without 
stopping  to  dry  it,  he  mounted  his  horse,  which  he  found 
straying  about  the  woods,  rode  on  to  Stevenson,  and 
reported  to  Colonel  Harker.  An  expedition  for  the  cap- 
ture of  this  band — afterward  ascertained  to  be  Captain 
Rountree's  company — was  just  about  starting,  when  or- 
ders were  received  to  evacuate  the  place  and  fall  back 
to  Nashville  with  the  remainder  of  Buell's  army. 

The  battery  went  no  farther  backward  than  Nashville, 
remaining  there  during  the  famous  investment  of  the 
city  and  until  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  again 
reached  it.  Meanwhile,  Newcomer  was  occasionally 
employed  by  General  Negley  as  a  detective ;  but  most 
of  the  time  was  spent  with  his  command.  Early  in 
December  the  police  and  scout  system  was  fully  organ- 
ized and  in  successful  operation.  Our  former  scout, 
thinking  that  he  could  serve  the  Government  to  better 
advantage  in  the  business  with  which  he  was  so  familiar, 
made  application  to  Colonel  Truesdail  for  employment  as 
a  scout  and  spy.  The  colonel,  pleased  with  his  appearance 
and  conversation,  at  once  made  an  engagement  with  him, 
and  procured  his  detail  for  that  special  service.  Having 
previously  made  the  acquaintance  of  one  Cale  Harrison, 
a  livery-stable-keeper,  he  now  called  on  him,  and,  ex- 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND  DETECTIVES        79 

hibiting  a  forged  certificate  of  discharge,  told  hi  n  that 
he  was  on  his  way  to  the  rebel  army.  Harrison,  of 
course,  was  highly  pleased  to  hear  it,  and  gave  him 
some  valuable  hints  and  information  for  his  guidance  in 
the  matter.  There  was  h-  snid.  a  man  living  on  the 
Charlotte  pike,  by  the  name  of  Spence,  whose  son  was 
an  aide-de-camp  on  the  staff  of  General  Polk,  and  who 
would  undoubtedly  assist  him  in  getting  south  and  give 
him  a  letter  of  introduction  to  his  son.  In  this  event 
the  road  would  be  clear,  and  no  difficulty  need  be 
apprehended  in  making  the  trip. 

Thus  directed,  he  set  forth  from  >s\ashville  on  a  scout 
south,  with  saddle-bags  well  filled  with  fine-tooth  combs, 
needles,  pins,  thread,  etc.,  and  carrying  two  fine  navy 
revolvers.     Going  directly  to  Spence's,  he    introduced 
himself,    said    he    had    called    by  recommendation    of 
Harrison,  made  known  his  business,  and  asked    for  a 
letter  to  his  son,  on  General  Polk's  staff.     Spence  re- 
ceived him  cordially,  but  would  not  furnish  him  with 
the  desired    letter.     He  referred  him,  however,  to    J- 
Wesley  Ratcliffe,  \h  ing  about  one  mile  from  Franklin, 
on  the  Lewisburg  pike,  as  a  person  likely  to  render  him 
very  material  a.-^sistance.     This  Ratcliffe  was    ■   rebel 
agent  for  the  purchase  of  stock  and  commissary  stores, 
and  was  well  known    throughout   the  whole  country. 
Pushing  on,  he  accordingly  called    at    Ratcliffe's,  and 
made  his  acquaintance.     When  informed  of  his  plans 
and  purposes  and  shown,  the  goods,  Ratcliffe  was  much 
pleased,  and  soon  became  very  friendly,  advising  him  to 
go    to    Shelbyville,  where    such    articles  were  greatly 
needed    and    could  easily  be  disposed    of.     Newcomer 
accordingly  started  for  Shelbyville,  and  for  some  time 


80      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

met  with  no  incidents  on  the  way.  Between  Caney 
Springs  and  Rover,  however,  he  fell  in  with  a  band  of 
rebel  cavalry  belonging  to  General  Buford's  command, 
who,  on  being  made  acquainted  with  his  business,  advised 
him  not  to  go  to  Shelby  ville,  as  considerable  trouble  might 
be  experienced  there.  Their  bushy  shocks  of  hair  sug- 
gesting that  they  were  combless,  he  offered  his  stock  for 
sale,  chatting  meanwhile  with  them  about  matters  and 
things  in  general  and  in  that  vicinity  in  particular. 
Combs  which  cost  two  dollars  per  dozen  he  sole'  »r  two 
dollars  each,  and  other  articles  in  proportion,  and  by 
the  time  his  trading  was  finished,  had  ascertained  tnat 
General  Buford  was  stationed  at  Rover  to  guard  a  large 
mill  full  of  flour  and  meal — the  size  of  his  command, 
the  number  and  calibre  of  his  guns,  and  other  items  of 
importance,  and  also  what  generals  and  troops  were  at 
Shelbyville.  The  cavalrymen  now  wished  him  to  go 
back  to  Nashville  and  bring  them  some  pistols  on  his 
return.  This  he  agreed  to  do,  and,  having  obtained  all 
the  information  he  cared  for  at  this  time,  turned  his 
horse  about  and  once  more  set  his  face  toward  Nashville. 
The  two  pistols  which  he  had  carried  with  him  he  had 
not  shown,  and  still  had  them  in  his  possession — which 
circumstance  was  the  cause  of  a  slight  adventure  on  the 
way  home.  He  had  proceeded  but  a  little  way  when 
he  met  with  a  small  squad  of  cavalry,  who  halted  him^ 
as  usual,  and  demanded  his  name,  business,  and  where 
he  was  going.  These  questions  satisfactorily  answered, 
he  was  next  asked  if  he  had  any  pistols  about  him.  He 
replied  that  he  had  two,  and  was  forthwith  ordered  by 
a  rough-looking  Texan  to  produce  them,  which  was 
hardly  d  ^ne  before  they  were  coolly  appropriated  by  his 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       81 

iuterrogator.  Remonstrance  was  followed  by  abuse  and 
tlireats  of  violence ;  and  it  was  only  by  the  intervention 
of  the  other  parties  that  the  matter  was  compromised 
by  the  sale  of  the  pistols  at  fifty  dollars  each,  and  our 
traveller  allowed  to  go  on  his  way  rejoicing.  Without 
interruption  headquarters  were  reached,  and  a  report  of 
operations  duly  made. 

Remaining  two  days  at  Nashville,  he  started  again, 
with  three  pistols  and  the  balance  of  the  old  stock  of 
goods.  The  first  night  was  spent  at  Ratcliffe's,  and  the 
next  day  both  went  to  Murfreesboro  in  a  buggy.  Ratr 
clifie  had  business  to  transact  with  the  provost^marshal, 
and  a  number  of  the  generals  and  inferior  officers  to  see, 
and  Newcomer  was  taken  round  and  introduced  to  all, 
as  a  co-laborer  in  the  cause  of  the  South.  During  his 
four  days'  stay,  he  was  all  over  the  town,  through 
several  of  the  camps,  in  many  of  the  houses,  drank 
whiskey  with  General  Frank  Cheatham,  went  to  a  grand 
party  at  the  court  house,  and  made  love  to  a  dozen  or 
more  young  ladies  of  secession  proclivities — aided  in  all 
this  by  a  perfect  self-possession,  an  easy,  graceful  man- 
ner, and  a  winning  face.  In  addition  to  pleasure  seek- 
ing and  love  making,  he  also  drove  a  thriving  business 
in  the  sale  of  pistols  and  other  contraband  goods,  and. 
with  pockets  filled  with  money  and  head  stored  with  in- 
formation, returned  with  Ratclifie  to  his  house,  and 
thence  to  Nashville — having  first  made  an  arrangement 
with  the  former  to  accompany  him  to  Shelbyville  the 
next  day.  Arriving  at  Nashville  after  dark,  he  re- 
mained there  until  morning,  and  then  made  preparations 
and  started  for  a  third  trip. 

With  a  pail  or  two  of  cotton  cards,  a  lot  of  pistol  caps, 

6 


82      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

and  some  smaller  knick-knacks,  as  passports  to  favor, 
he  set  forth  once  more  to  join  Ratcliffe  ;  but  having  been 
unavoidably  delayed  in  starting,  he  found  him  already 
gone.  Nothing  was  now  to  be  done  but  to  boldly  push 
ahead  in  the  hope  of  overtaking  him  on  the  road,  or 
meeting  him  at  Shelby ville.  With  the  exception  of 
Ratcliffe,  not  a  soul  there  knew  him.  Trusting  to  good 
fortune,  he  travelled  on,  and  reached  Shelbyville  in 
due  season  -without  trouble.  The  usual  questions  were 
asked  him  by  guards  and  pickets,  to  all  of  which  he  re- 
plied that  he  lived  in  Davidson  county,  was  going  to 
visit  some  friends  in  the  44th  Tennessee  regiment,  und 
had,  moreover,  a  small  stock  of  contraband  goods  for 
sale.  These  answers  proving  satisfactory,  he  was  passed 
through  and  reached  the  town  early  in  the  forenoon. 
Most  of  the  day  he  spent  in  riding  about,  looking  into 
quartermasters'  and  commissary  depots,  inquiring  the 
names  of  officers,  the  number  of  troops,  commanders, 
etc.,  until  he  had  ascertained  all  that  he  wished.  By 
this  time  night  was  drawing  near,  and  it  was  high  time 
to  think  about  getting  out  of  town ;  for  should  he  remain 
after  dark,  he  was  certain  to  be  arrested.  Ratcliffe  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  on  inquiry  he  was  told  that  he 
had  gone"  to  Atlanta,  Georgia,  on  the  train,  and  that 
nobody  knew  when  he  would  be  back.  Here  was  a 
desperate  state  of  affairs.  Get  out  of  town  he  must, 
and  to  get  out  he  must  have  a  pass.  It  was  easy  enough 
to  come  in,  but  very  difficult  to  get  out.  Nobody  knew 
him ;  and,  in  fact,  for  once  in  his  life,  he  was  at  a  loss 
what  to  do.  While  thus  troubled,  he  met  some  citizens 
of  Davidson  county  who  had  been  over  the  river  to  the 
camps  of  Cheathani  and  McCowr.'s  di\isions,  and  were 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.       83 

now  on    their  way  to  the  provost-marshal  to   procure 
return  passes.     Misery  loves  company,  and  with  a  long 
face   he  told  them  his  trouble — dressing  it  up  with  a 
considerable  amount  of  fiction  to  suit  the  occasion.     By 
way  of  adding  earnestness  to  his  entreaty  and  to  open  a 
sure  path  to  their  sympathies,  he  bought  a  bottle  of 
whiskey  and  invited  them  all  to  drink  with  him.     The 
liquor  warmed   their  hearts  as  well  as  stomachs ;  and 
while  hobnobbing  together  he  asked  them  if  they  wouldn't 
vouch  for  him  to  the  provost-marshal,  and  thus  enable 
him  to  procure  a  pass.     Being  now  in  a  condition  to  love 
the  world  and  everybody  in  it,  they  promised  to  do  so, 
and  in  due  season  all  went  for  passes.     His  seven  newly- 
made  friends  found  no  difficulty  in  their  suit,  their  names 
being  all  written  on  a  single  pass ;  but  our  scout  was 
left  unnoticed.     The  attention  of  the  provost-marshal 
was  called  to  him,  when  that  functionary  asked  if  any 
of  them  was  personally  acquainted  with  him.     Though 
rebels,  they  would  not  lie ;  possibly  they  thought  it  was 
not  necessary ;  and  answered,    "  No,"  but  they  would 
vouch  for  him.     But  that  would  not  do.     His  situation 
now  was  worse  than  ever.     He  not  only  had  no  pass, 
but  had  not  the  slightest  chance  of  getting  one.     The 
whiskey  investment  had" proved  a  losing  speculation ;  and 
he  knew  not  where  to  turn  for   relief     The  loungers 
ibout   the   office   began  to  eye   him   suspiciously,  and 
even  the  dogs  seemed  disposed  to  growl  and  snap  at  him 
as  having  no  business  there.     The  place  was  getting  too 
hot  for  safety ;  and  his  only  hope  of  escape  was  to  hurry 
out  and  lose  himself  in  the  crowd. 

His  new  friends  were  still  outside,  waiting  for  him; 
and  with  them  a  long  consultation  was  held  as  to  what 


84      NARKATIYES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTH'ES. 

had  better  be  done  about  getting  away,  as  every  moment 
added  to  his  already  serious  danger.  Finally,  one  of 
the  party  suggested  that  he  should  go  with  them  aL.y- 
how — that  the  pickets  would  not  be  likely  to  notice  that 
his  name  was  not  in  the  pass,  there  being  so  many 
already  on  it.  In  default  of  any  thing  better,  this  pro- 
position was  agreed  to,  and  all  set  out  together.  New- 
comer, however,  was  still  far  from  easy  about  tht  matr 
ter,  and  was  fearful  that  the  plan  would  not  work,  As 
they  were  journeying  along,  he  proposed  to  the  one  who 
had  the  pass  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  write  hie  own 
name  on  the  pass  with  a  pencil,  and  if  any  objection 
should  be  made  to  it  they  might  say  that  he  belonged 
to  the  party  but  did  not  come  in  until  the  pass  was 
made  out,  and  that  the  provost  marshal,  to  save  writing 
a  new  one,  had  inserted  the  name  in  pencil-mark.  This 
was  assented  to  and  done.  The  amended  pass  carried 
them  safely  through,  and  the  last  cloud  of  anxiety  was 
lifted  from  his  troubled  mind. 

Some  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  having  been  passed  over 
pleasantly.  Newcomer  purposely  lagged  behind  and 
allowed  the  others  to  get  far  ahead,  when  he  turned  off 
and  struck  across  to  the  Lewisburg  and  Franklin  pike. 
Travelling  on  this  about  ten  miles,  he  stopped  for  the 
night,  with  five  of  Wheeler's  cavalry,  at  the  house  of  a 
man  who  had  a  son  in  Forrest's  command.  Starting  the 
next  morning  betimes,  he  reached  Ratcliffe's  the  same 
evening,  but  found  he  had  not  yet  reached  home.  Stop- 
ping a  few  moments,  he  passed  on  through  Franklin 
toward  Nashville.  He  had  gone  some  seven  miles,  and 
was  near  Brentwood,  when  he  saw  four  cavalrymen 
riding  furiously  down  a  lane  just  ahead  of  him.     They 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.       86 

and  our  hero  reached  its  entrance  at  the  same  moment. 
The  leader  of  the  squad — who  proved  to  be  Captain 
Harris,  a  scout  of  John  Morgan's,  and  who,  as  well  as 
his  three  men.  was  very  drunk — roughly  halted  him, 
and  riding  up,  pistol  in  hand,  shouted  : 
"  Who  are  you  ?  and  where  do  you  live  ?" 
*'  My  name  is  Newcomer,  and  I  live  six  miles  from 
Nashville,  near  Brent  Spence's,"  was  the  ready,  respect 
ful  reply. 

Spence  was  well  known  to  all,  and  no  further  troubl 
was  apprehended ;  but  the  drunken  captain  was  not  so 
easily  satisfied.     He  soon  asked  : 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  and  what  in  the are 

you  doing  here  ?" 

"  I  have  been  to  Shelby  ville  to  see  Spence's  son,  and 
I  took  along  some  contraband  goods  to  sell." 
"  You  can  go  back  to  Franklin  with  me,  sir !" 
Protestation  was  unavailing ;  and  without  more  ado 
he  turned  about  and  all  started  toward  Franklin.  On 
the  way  Harris  asked  if  he  had  any  arms  with  him,  and 
on  being  told  that  he  had  two  fine  revolvers  and  some 
cartridges,  ordered  him  to  give  them  up,  which  was 
done.     With  a  savage  leer  he  then  said  : 

<*  I  know  all  about  you.     You're  a Yankee  spy . 

You  have   been  going  backward    and  forward  here  bo 
much  that  the  citizens  of  Franklin  have  suspected  yo' 
for  a  long  time,  and  have  reported  you.     I  am  satisfied 
that  you  are  a  Yankee  spy ;  and  I  am  going  to  hang 

you, you.     Bragg  has  ordered  me  never  to  bring 

in  spies,  but  to  shoot  or  hang  them  like  dogs  on  the 
spot ;  and  I  am  going  to  mak?  a  beginning  witli  you, 
now,  this  very  night." 


86      NARRATIYES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIYES. 

"  If  jou  do  that,*'  was  the  reply,  "  you'll  take  the  life 
of  a  good  and  true  man.  I  can  show  by  J.  W.  Rateliife 
that  I  am  a  true  Southerner,  that  I  have  done  much 
good  for  the  cause — very  likely  much  more  than  you 
have — and  that  I  am  doing  good  every  day  I  live." 

"  Captain,"  said  one  of  the  men,  "  it  may  be  that  he 
«  an  important  man  to  our  cause ;  and  you  had  better 
see  Ratcliffe  and  inquire  into  his  case," 

Harris  studied  a  moment,  and  finally  concluded  to  go 
with  the  prisoner  to  Ratcliife's  and  confer  about  the 
matter — at  the  same  time  assuring  him  that  it  was  of 
no  use,  for  he  should  certainly  hang  him  anyhow.  At 
Franklin  all  stopped  to  drink,  and  Harris  and  his  men 
became  beastly  drunk.  Reeling  into  their  saddles,  they 
were  once  more  on  their  way  to  Ratcliflfe's,  but  had  gone 
only  a  short  distance,  when  Harris  wheeled  his  horse 
and  hiccoughed  out — 

"  Boys,  there's  no  use  in  fooling.     I  am  satisfied  this 

fellow's  a Yankee  spy ;  and  here's  just  as  good  a 

place  as  we  can  find  to  hang  him.  Take  the  halter  off 
that  horse's  neck  and  bring  it  here." 

It  was  indeed  a  fitting  place  in  which  to  do  foul  mur- 
der. Not  a  house  was  to  be  seen ;  and  the  road  wound 
through  one  of  those  cedar  thickets  so  dense  that  even 
in  mid-day  it  was  almost  dark  within  them.  It  was 
now  night,  and  the  sombre  shade  even  more  gloomy 
than  ever,  as  Harris  jumped  from  his  horse,  and,  taking 
the  halter,  made  a  noose  of  it,  and,  fitting  it  around  the 
neck  of  the  unlucky  scout,  drew  it  up  uncomfortably 
tight,  until,  in  fact,  it  was  just  about  strangling  him. 

Now  or  never  was  the  time  to  expostulate  and  entreat. 
Tn  a  moment  it  might  be  too  late ;  and  then  farewell 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTnTS.      87 

home,  friends,  and  all  the  joys  of  life !  It  is  not  ha  r d  to  die 
m  peace,  surrounded  by  weeping  friends,  or  even  to  meo^ 
the  dread  king  in  the  shock  and  excitement  of  battle ; 
but  to  hang  like  a  dog! — the  idea  is  sickening,  appalling; 
and  it  is  no  sign  of  cowardice  to  shrink  from  it.  One 
more  effort,  then,  for  life,  even  if  it  be  to  supplicate  for 
mercy  from  a  drunken  rebel. 

"Captain,"  said  he,  with  great  feeling,  '*it  is  wrong 
to  take  a  man's  life  on  so  slight  a  suspicion.  It  is  a  vast 
responsibility  to  take  upon  one's  self;  and  you  may  do 
something  for  which  you  will  be  sorry  by-and-by,  in 
your  calmer  moments,  and  for  which  you  may  be  even 
punished  when  it  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  General 
Bragg." 

To  which  came  the  rough  and  heartless  answer,  "  1 
know  my  business,  and  I  don't  want  any  advice  from  a 

Yankee  spy.     "When  I  do,  I'll  let  you  know.     Come 

along,"  shouted  he,  seizing  the  rope  and  dragging  his 
victim  toward  a  tree.  "  I  know  my  duty,  apd  am 
going  to  do  it,  too.  Come  on,  men,  and  let's  swing  up 
this rascally  spy." 

They  refused  to  come  to  his  assistance,  however,  say- 
ing that  they  were  as  ready  as  he  to  do  their  duty,  but 
they  wanted  to  be  a  little  better  satisfied  about  the  mat- 
ter. It  was  only  half  a  mile  to  Ratcliffe's,  and  it  would 
De  a  very  easy  thing  to  go  and  see  what  he  said  about 
it.  Harris  would  not  listen  a  moment,  and  again  or- 
dered them  to  come  and  help  him,  which  they  dared 
not  longer  refuse. 

The  case  now  appeared  hopeless.  Death  stared  him 
in  the  face,  and  life,  with  all  its  memories  and  pleasures, 
seemed  passing  dreamily  away.     Looking  into  the  ceda»^ 


88      NAKRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

hanging  heavy  -with  darkness,  they  seemed  the  entrance 
to  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  beyond  -which  lay 
the  infinite  and  mysterious  future.  On  the  verge  of  the 
grave  life  was  yet  sweet — yet  worth  striving  for ;  and, 
as  a  last  eflfort,  the  unfortunate  man  went  up  to  Harris, 
placed  his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  asked  him  if  he 
would  promise,  on  the  word  and  honor  of  a  gentleman, 
that  he  would  go  to  General  Bragg  and  give  him  a  true 
statement  of  the  affair,  narrating  every  circumstance  as 
it  actually  occurred.  Then,  turning  to  the  men,  he 
asked  them  if  they  would  do  it,  provided  the  captain 
did  not.  Less  hardened  than  the  captain,  they  feelingly 
answered  that  they  would ;  and  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  replied  was  proof  enough  that  they  would 
make  good  their  words.  This  set  the  captain  to  think- 
ing. He  evidently  didn't  like  the  idea  of  Bragg's  hear- 
ing about  it,  and,  after  some  moments'  reflection,  con- 
cluded to  go  to  Ratcliffe's  and  see  what  he  would  say. 
The  rope  was  removed,  and  they  resumed  their  journey — 
the  captain  still  swearing  it  would  do  no  good,  as  noth- 
ing could  save  him,  for  he  was  bound  to  hang  him  that 
very  night. 

Life  still  hung  on  a  thread,  however.  Li  the  after- 
noon, when  Newcomer  had  been  there,  Ratcliffe  had  not 
returned,  and  if  he  were  not  now  at  home,  nothing 
would  prevent  Harris  from  carrying  out  his  threat, 
which  he  seemed  determined  to  execute.  That  haL 
mile  was  the  longest  ride  Newcomer  ever  took.  No 
lights  were  to  be  seen ;  but  it  was  near  midnight,  and 
it  might  be  that  all  were  abed.  Harris  left  the  prisoner 
at  the  gate,  in  charge  of  the  other  three,  and  went  up  to 
the  house.     He  knocked  on  the  window,  and  Newcomer 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       89 

thought  it  was  the  thumping  of  his  own  heart.  Fortun- 
ately RatclifTe  was  at  home,  and  came  hurriedly  to  the 
door,  without  stopping  to  dress.  The  two  conversed  in 
a  low  tone  for  some  time,  when  Ratcliffe  was  heard  to 

exclaim,  "  I'll  be if  you  do !"  and  instantly  started 

down  toward  the  gate.  Coming  up  to  the  prisoner, 
and  throwing  one  arm  around  his  neck,  while  he  took 
his  hand  in  his,  he  said  to  him — 

"Great  God!  Harry,  how  fortunate  that  I  am  at 
home !" 

After  they  had  talked  awhile  together,  Harris  came 
up  again,  and  called  Ratcliflfe  to  one  side,  where  they 
had  another  protracted  conversation,  in  a  low,  whisper- 
ing tone.  While  they  were  thus  engaged,  a  large  owl 
on  a  tree  near  by  began  hooting,  and  was  speedily  an- 
swered by  another  some  distance  up  the  road.  The 
three  men  mounted  their  horses  at  once  and  galloped  to 
the  road,  shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices — 

"Captain,  we're  surrounded!  This  is  a  trap.  Don*t 
you  hear  the  signals  ?" 

The  captain  stepped  to  the  road,  listened  a  moment, 
and  then,  with  a  volley  of  oaths,  ordered  them  back  for 

a  "pack  of fools,  to  be  scared  at  an  owl."     Still 

quaking  with  fear,  which  did  not  entirely  leave  them 
until  they  were  fairly  away  from  the  place,  they  resumed 
their  places,  the  owls  hooting  lustily  all  the  while. 

Harris  and  Ratcliffe  continued  their  conversation  for 
a  few  minutes,  when  the  former  came  towards  Newcomer 
with  a  pistol  and  some  papers  in  each  hand,  saying,  as 
he  gave  them  to  him  : 

"  I  release  you  and  restore  your  property  on  the  word 
of  Quartermaster  Ratcliffe.     He  assures  me  that  you  are 


90      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

one  of  the  most  important  men  in  the  south,  and  a  secret 
agent  of  the  Confederacy.  I  am  very  sorry  that  this 
thing  has  occurred,  and  will  make  any  amends  in  my 
power.  If  you  desire,  I  will  go  with  you  to  the  Char- 
lotte pike  a&  an  escort,  or  will  do  you  any  favor  you  may 
ask." 

"  No,"  said  Ratcliffe ;  "  he  must  come  in  and  stay  all 
night  with  me.     I  can't  let  him  go  on  to-night." 

While  standing  at  the  gate,  during  this  conversation, 
our  released  prisoner  sold  his  pistols  to  the  cavalrymen 
for  Tennessee  money.  Just  at  this  moment,  too,  a 
Bquad  of  cavalry  belonging  to  Starns's  command  came 
by.  One  of  them — to  whom  Newcomer  had  sold  a 
pistol  some  weeks  before — recognized  him  at  once,  and 
shook  hands  with  him  very  cordially.  He  corroborated 
Ratcliffe's  statement,  saying  that  Newcomer  was  on  very 
important  business  for  the  South,  which  was  rendered 
still  more  so  by  the  fight  having  begun  at  Stewart*a 
creek.  A  short  time  was  passed  in  general  conversa- 
tion, when  all  left  except  Newcomer,  who  hitched  hia 
horse  to  the  porch  and  went  in  with  Ratcliffe.  When 
sufficient  time  had  elapsed  for  them  to  be  well  out  of  the 
way.  Newcomer  said  his  business  was  of  too  much  im 
portance  to  brook  delay,  and  he  must  be  off  at  once. 
Ratcliffe  said  if  he  must  go  he  could  not  urge  him  to 
«tay.  "  I  will  go  with  you  to  your  horse,"  said  he ; 
"  meanwhile  take  this  to  keep  you  from  further  trouble. 
If  anybody  stops  you  again,  just  show  them  this,  and 
you  will  be  passed  at  once." 

So  saying,  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  large  govern- 
ment envelope- — of  which  he  had  an  abundance — and 
wrote  on  it : 


NARRATIVES  OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.      91 

''All  Rigid. 

"J.  W.  Ratcliffe." 

Armed  with  this,  he  started  again,  and  reached  thf 
pickets  of  the  Fifth  Kentucky  Cavalry,  who  brought 
im  into  the  city.  It  was  nearly  three  o'clock  m  the 
corning  when  he  arrived  at  the  police  office;  but  the 
colonel  was  still  up,  and  immediately  telegraphed  his 
report  to  headquarters. 

The  next  day,  nothing  daunted,  he  set  out  again,  and 
went,  as  usual,  first  to  Ratclifife's,  where  he  remained 
all  night^thence  the  next  morning  travelled,  by  way 
of  Hart's  crossroads   and  Caney  Springs,  to  Murfree^ 
boro,    reaching   that   place   on   the    Saturday  evening 
closing  the  week  of  battles  at    Stone  river.      Ridmg 
.about°the  town,  he  observed  that  nearly  every  house  m 
it  was  a  hospital.     Every  thing  was  confusion  and  excite- 
ment.    Immense  crowds  of  straggling  soldiers  and  citi- 
zens were  gathered  about  the  court  house   and  depot. 
Commissary  and  quartermaster  stores,  artillery,  ammu- 
nition, and  camp  equipage,  were  being  loaded  on  the 
cars,  and  trains  were  starting  as  fast  as  loaded.     An 
evacuation  was  evidently  on  hand,  and  that  right  speed- 
ily ;  and  he  determined   to  leave    as  soon  as  possible. 
The  only  trouble  was  how  to  get  out.     After  wandering 
around  some   time,  seeking  an  opportunity,  he   came 
across  a  train  of  small  wagons,  with  which  the  neighbor- 
ing farmers  had  come  to  take  home  their  wounded  son? 
an°d  brothers.     Quick  to  embrace  opportunities,  he  saw 
that  now  was  his  chance  to  escape.     Dismounting  from 
his  horse,  he  led  bim  by  the  bridle,  and  walked  demurely 
behind  one  of  tliese  wagons,  as  though  it  was  in  hie 


92      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

charge.  Clad  in  butternut,  and  in  every  outward  appeal 
ance  resembling  the  others  accompanying  it,  the  deceit 
was  not  discovered,  and  he  safely  passed  all  the  pickets. 
It  was  now  nearly  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  he 
rode  rapidly  on,  in  a  cold,  driving  rain,  until  fairly  be- 
numbed. Some  nine  miles  out,  he  came  to  a  deserted 
Bchool-house,  which  he  unceremoniously  entered,  leading 
his  horse  in  after  him.  Within,  a  large  fireplace  and 
an  abundance  of  desks  suggested  the  idea  of  a  fire,  and 
a  huge  blaze  roaring  and  crackling  on  the  hearth  soon 
demonstrated  its  practicability.  The  next  step  was  to 
wring  the  water  out  of  his  well-soaked  garments,  and 
partially  dry  them.  Both  horse  and  man  enjoyed  them- 
selves here  until  near  daybreak,  when  he  mounted  again 
and  rode  on  to  Ratclifie's,  reaching  there  about  three 
o'clock  Sunday  afternoon.  Here  he  remained  awhile 
to  converse  with  his  friend,  refresh  the  inner  man,  and 
care  for  his  horse — neither  having  eaten  a  mouthful 
since  the  morning  before.  Ratclifie  was  rejoiced  to  see 
him,  and  wished  him  to  remain  longer ;  but  he  pushed 
ahead,  and  reached  Nashville  late  that  evening,  well 
nigh  worn-out  with  hunger,  fatigue,  and  want  of  sleep. 
His  report  was  immediately  telegraphed  to  General 
Rosecrans ;  but  he  had  been  so  long  in  making  his  way 
back  that  the  general  did  not  receive  it  until  he  had 
himself  entered  Murfreesboro. 

Late  the  next  night  he  started  again,  with  a  single 
pistol,  and  a  small  stock  of  needles,  pins,  and  thread. 
On  Monday  evening  he  reached  Ratclifie's,  and,  staying 
but  two  hours,  rode  on  two  miles  farther,  to  the  house 
of  one  M.  H.  Perryear,  with  whom  he  remained  all 
night.     Thence  he  travelled,  by  way  of  Hart's  cross- 


NARRATIVES   OF    Sl'IES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       93 

roads,  toward  Caney  Springs,  but  before  reaching  the 
latter  place  fell  in  with  some  of  Wheeler's  cavalry,  with 
whom  he  rodr  along,  friendly  and  companionably  enough. 
Some  of  them  were  old  acquaintances,  and  very  confi- 
dential. They  were,  they  said,  just  on  their  way  to 
burn  a  lot  of  Federal  wagons  at  Lavergne  and  Triune, 
and,  deeming  him  a  good  fellow  well  met,  invited  him 
to  go  with  them.  Thinking  that  there  might  be  some 
chance  to  save  the  wagons,  he  declined  the  invitation, 
urging  the  pressing  nature  and  importance  of  his  mis- 
sion as  an  excuse.  It  was  soon  found,  however,  that 
every  avenue  of  escape  northward  was  guarded,  and 
the  whole  country  filled  with  the  cavalry,  of  whom 
th^re  were,  in  all,  about  three  thousand.  There  was 
nothing  to  do,  then,  but  to  leave  the  wagons  to  their 
fate  and  push  on,  which  he  did,  and,  arriving  at  Caney 
Springs,  remained  there  over  night.  The  next  morn- 
ing the  cavalry  began  to  loiter  back  from  their  maraud- 
ing expedition,  in  squads  of  from  fifteen  to  a  hundred 
or  more,  and  from  them  he  learned  the  complete  suc- 
cess of  the  enterprise.  Making  the  acquaintance  of  a 
lieutenant,  he  was  told  that  they  were  going  at  onoe  to 
Harpeth  Shoals,  to  burn  a  fleet  of  boats  which  was 
then  on  its  way  to  Nashville.  This  determined  him 
to  abandon  the  idea  of  going  to  Shelbyville,  and  he  ac- 
companied a  detachment  back  as  far  as  Hart's  cross- 
roads, where  they  went  on  picketrduty  at  a  meeting- 
house by  the  road.  Bidding  them  good-day,  he  started 
on  alone  toward  Batcliffe's.  Stopping  at  Perryear's,  he 
was  told  that  Forrest  was  in  Franklin,  that  the  roads 
were  all  guarded,  and  that  there  was  a  picket  just  at 
Ratclififc  8  gate.     Perryear  then  gave  l:im  an  open  let* 


94       NARRATIVES  OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  ANi>  DETECTIVES. 

ter  of  introduction,  recommending  him  to  all  officers 
and  soldiers  of  the  Confederate  army  as  a  true  and  loyal 
Southern  man,  engaged  in  business  of  the  highest  im- 
portance to  the  Government.  With  this  he  again  set  out, 
and,  as  he  had  been  told,  found  a  picket  at  Ratcliife's 
gate.  Requesting  to  be  admitted,  he  was  asked  if  he 
was  a  soldier,  and,  on  answering  negatively,  was  passed 
in  without  hesitation.  Ratcliffe  corroborated  Perryoar'a 
statement,  saying,  furthermore,  that  Forrest  was  very 
strict,  and  that  it  would  be  much  better  for  him  to  re- 
main there  until  they  had  all  gone  down  the  river. 

"But,"  added  he,  "  if  you  must  go,  I'll  go  with  you 
as  far  as  Franklin  and  help  you  through." 

The  town  was  found  to  be  full  of  cavalry,  who  were 
conscripting  every  man  whom  they  could  lay  hands  on. 
Ratclifte  introduced  his  companion  to  Will  Forrest — a 
brother  of  the  general,  and  captain  of  his  body-guard. 
The  captain  was  profuse  of  oaths  and  compliments,  and. 
withal,  so  very  friendly  that  Newcomer  at  once  told 
him  his  story  and  business,  all  of  which  was  indorsed 
by  Ratcliffe.  More  oaths  and  compliments  followed. 
The  captain  was  glad  to  know  so  important  a  man,  and, 
by  way  of  business,  asked  him  if  he  had  any  pistols  to 
Bell. 

"  No,"  was  the  reply ;  "  I  have  nothing  but  a  single 
navy  revolver,  which  I  carry  for  my  own  defence,  and 
which  I  wouldn't  like  to  part  with.  But  I  am  just  going 
to  Nashville  for  more  goods,  and,  fearing  trouble  in 
getting  away,  I  thought  I  would  come  and  see  about  it." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  there  will  be  none,"  said  the  captain, 
"  The  general  wants  to  know  something  about  Nashville, 


KARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES.      95 

and  will  be  very  apt  to  send  you  there  to  get  the  infor- 
matioa  for  him.     Come ;  let's  go  and  see  about  it. 

The  t«-o  sot  forth,  and  found  tlic  general,  surrounded 
by  the  usual  crowd,  at  his  hotel.     Calling  him  to  one 
eide,  the    captain    pointed    out    his    new    friend,  and, 
explaining  who  and  what  he  was,  concluded  by  remark- 
int  that  he  wished  to  go  to  Nashville  for  goods,  and 
would    bring  him    any   information  he  desired.     The 
general,  not  just  then  in  the  best  of  humor,  swore  very 
roundly  that  he  kne«  as  much  about  Nashville  as  he 
wanted  to-it  was  men  he  wanted-and  concluded  by 
ordering  the  captain  to  conscript  his  friend  into  either 
his  own  or  some  other  company.     Turning  on  his  heel, 
he  walked    briskly  away,  leaving   his   brother   to  his 
an^er  and  our  would-be  rebel  spy  to  his  disappointment 
The  captain  fumed  with  great,  sulphurous  oaths,  and 
consoled  Newcomer  thus  wise : 

«  He's  a fool,  if  he  is  my  brother.     You  are  the 

last  man  I'll  ever  bring  to  him  to  be  insulted.  But  you 
Bha'n't  be  conscripted.  Come  with  me,  and  I'll  help  you 
throuo-h.  You  can  go  with  my  company,  but  not  as  a 
soldier,  and  I  will  send  you  to  Nashville  myself  My 
company  always  has  the  advance,  and  there'll  be  plenty 

of  chances."  .  . 

Making  a  virtue  of  necessity,  this  proposition  wM 
gladly  accepted,  and  all  started  on  the  march.  By  thi. 
time  Wheeler  had  come  up  and  taken  the  lead,  Forrest 
following  in  the  centre,  and  Starns  bringing  up  the  rear 
About  eight  miles  from  Franklin  the  whole  command 
encamped  for  the  night,  and  our  hero  slept  under  the 
Bame  blanket  with  Captain  Forrest  and  his  lieutenant 
_a  Texan  ranger  named  Scott,  whose  chief  amusement 


96      NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

Beemed  to  consist  in  lassoing  dogs  while  on  the  march, 
and  listening  to  their  yelping  as  they  were  pitilessly 
dragged  along  behind  him.  Toward  midnight,  one  of 
their  spies — a  Northern  man,  named  Sharp,  and 
formerly  in  the  plough  business  at  Nashville — came  in 
from  the  Cumberland  river.  Captain  Forrest  introduced 
Newcomer  to  him  as  a  man  after  his  own  heart — "  true 
as  steel,  and  as  sharp  as  they  make  'em."  The  two  spies 
became  intimate  at  once,  and  Sharp  belied  his  name  by 
making  a  confidant  of  his  new  acquaintance.  He  had 
formerly  been  in  Memphis,  and  acted  as  a  spy  for  the 
cotton-burners.  More  recently  he  had  been  employed 
with  Forrest;  and  now  he  had  just  come  from  Harpeth 
Shoals,  where  he  had  learned  all  about  the  fleet  coming 
up  the  river,  and  to-morrow  he  was  to  guide  the  expedi- 
tion down  to  a  place  where  they  could  easily  be  captured 
and  burned.  Early  next  morning  the  march  was  re- 
sumed, and  at  the  crossing  of  the  Hardin  pike  General 
Forrest  and  staff  were  found  waiting  for  them.  Upon 
coming  up,  the  captain  was  ordered  to  take  his  company 
down  the  Hardin  pike,  go  on  picket  there,  and  remain 
until  eleven  o'clock;  when,  if  nothing  was  to  be  seen, 
he  was  to  rejoin  the  expedition.  These  instructions 
were  promptly  carried  out — a  good  position  being  taken 
on  a  hill  some  eight  miles  from  Nashville,  from  which 
could  be  had  a  view  of  the  whole  country  for  many 
miles  in  every  direction.  About  ten  o'clock  the  captain 
came  to  Newcomer  and  said  he  was  going  to  send  him 
to  Nashville  himself;  at  the  same  time  giving  him  a 
list  of  such  articles  as  he  wished,  consisting  principally 
of  gray  cloth,  staff-buttons,  etc. 

As  may  be  imagined,  no  time  was  lost  in  starting,  and 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIFS,    SCOUTS,    AiND   DETECTIVES.      97 

iiill  less  in  getting  into  Nashville,  where  he  arrived  in 
due  seiison  to  save  the  fleet.  A  Ibrce  was  at  once  sent 
out  on  the  Ilillsboro  pike  to  cut  oflf  the  retreat  of  the 
rebels,  and  another  on  the  Charlotte  pike  to  attack  them 
directly.  The  latter  force  succeeded  in  striking  their 
rear -guard,  and  threw  them  into  confusion,  when  they 
hastily  lied  across  the  Ilarpeth  river,  which  was  at  the 
time  very  high.  Our  forces,  being  principally  infantry, 
could  not  cross  hi  pursuit,  but  the  troops  on  the  Ilills- 
boro pike  succeeded  in  killing,  wounding,  and  capturing 
considerable  numbers  of  them.  They  were  thoroughly 
scattered,  however,  and  the  fleet  was  saved — which  was 
the  main  object  of  the  expedition. 

General  Rosecrans  had  now  been  in  Murfreesboro 
several  days,  and  Colonel  Truesdail  immediately  on  his 
arrival  sent  the  scout  to  that  place.  Here  he  made  d 
full  report,  and,  having  received  instructions  for  another 
trip,  returned  to  Nashville  the  next  day  to  make  ready 
for  it.  The  only  item  of  interest  on  this  trip  was  that 
at  Eagleville  he  met  Wheeler's  command,  by  many  of 
whom,  and  by  the  general  himself,  he  was  well  and 
favorably  known.  Here  Wheeler  employed  hira  as  a 
secret  agent,  and  gave  him  a  permanent  pass,  which  he 
still  retains.  Borrowing  from  one  of  his  officers  one 
hundred  dollars  in  Tennessee  money,  the  general  gave 
it  to  him,  and  instructed  him  to  buy  with  it  certain  arti- 
cles which  he  mentioned — among  which  were  gray  clotb 
and  staff"  buttons,  always  in  demand  for  uniforms. 
Stopping  at  Ratcliffe's  on  his  return,  he  showed  him  the 
pass,  and  related  the  circumstances  of  getting  it,  at 
which  the  former  waa  highly  gratified — "  as,"  said  he, 
"you'll  have  no  more  troubh  now,  Harry/' 
7 


98      NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

At  Nashville,  he  succeeded,  of  course  with  the  permis- 
sion of  the  Union  authorities,  in  filling  General  Wheeler's 
order,  and  charged  with  such  information  as  General 
Mitchell  and  Colonel  Truesdail  saw  fit  to  impart,  he  took 
another  trip  to  the  rebel  lines.  Wheeler  was  at  this 
time  at  Franklin,  quartered  in  the  court  house.  The 
goods  and  information  were  delivered,  much  to  the  grat- 
ification of  the  rebel  general,  who  forthwith  instructed 
him  to  return  to  Nashville  for  more  information  and 
late  Northern  papers.  He  was  by  this  time  so  well 
known,  and  so  highly  esteemed  by  the  rebels,  that  the 
cashier  of  the  Franklin  branch  of  the  Planter's  bank  of 
Tennessee,  entrusted  to  him  the  accounts  and  valuable 
papers  of  the  branch  bank  to  carry  to  the  parent  insti- 
tution at  Nashville.  This  duty  he  performed  faithfully. 
On  his  way,  he  stopped  at  the  house  of  one  Prior  Smith, 
a  violent  rebel,  and  extensive  negro  dealer.  He  was 
cordially  received  by  Smith,  who  tried  to  interest  him  in 
the  business  of  running  off  negro  children  from  Nash- 
ville, to  be  sold  south.  Newcomer  declined  entering 
upon  it ;  but  Smith  insisted,  and  gave  him  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  his  "  right  bower,"  in  Nashville,  who 
proved  to  be  a  Dr.  Hudson,  a  man  of  wealth,  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  a  Union  man,  but  had  long  been  considered 
suspicious.  The  Chief  of  Police,  Colonel  Truesdail,  de- 
sired him  now  to  spend  some  time  in  Nashville  in  devel- 
oping the  case  of  Dr.  Hudson,  but  he  deemed  it  necessary 
first,  to  return  to  Wheeler,  and  received  permission  to 
do  so.  At  Franklin,  he  found  that  Wheeler  had  gone  on 
to  Shelby^'ille,  and  stopping  with  his  friend  Ratcliffe,  the 
two  wrote  out  the  information  he  had  received,  and  sealed 
it  up  with  the  papers  in  '.arge  (rebel)  government  envel- 


NARRATIVES   OP    SPILS,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.       9V) 

opes,  and  forwarded  by  carrier  to  Wheeler.  Having  spent 
the  night  with  Ratcliife,  he  returned  the  next  morning, 
and  immediately  entered  upon  the  work  of  following  up 
the  Hudson  case.  Delivering  Prior  Smith's  letter  of  intro- 
duction, he  very  soon  gained  the  full  confidence  of  Dr.  Hud- 
son and  his  wife,  and  found  them  ready  to  do  any  thing 
to  further  and  aid  the  rebel  cause.  Dr.  Hudson  was  very 
wealthy,  and  possessed  an  elegant  residence  in  Nashville, 
with  every  comfort  and  convenience  to  be  desired,  exten- 
sive iron-works  near  Harpeth  Shoals,  and  a  tract  of  three 
thousand  acres,  attached  together,  with  a  large  amount 
of  other  property.  He  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  furnished  milk  to  several  of  the  hos-pitals  as  a  cover 
for  his  plans  for  furnishing  arras,  ammunition,  medicines 
equipments,  etc.,  to  the  rebel  armies ;  aided  rebel  pris- 
oners to  escape,  kidnapped  negroes,  and  sold  them  south ; 
aided  and  stimulated  the  burning  of  Union  warehouses, 
transports,  etc.,  etc.  In  all  these  iniquitous  transactions  his 
wife  assisted  to  the  best  of  her  ability,  and  the  two  were 
in  communication  with  all  the  principal  rebels  in  Louis- 
ville and  south  of  the  Union  lines.  In  all  these  opera- 
tions, Newcomer  soon  succeeded  in  making  him  commit 
himself  before  other  detectives,  whom  he  had  introduced 
as  officers  of  Ashby's  cavalry,  paroled  rebel  prisoners, 
Wheeler's  spies,  etc.,  etc.,  and  when  the  proof  was  com- 
plete, caused  the  arrest  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hudson,  and 
several  of  their  accomplices.  On  examination,  there 
were  found  at  his  house  large  quantities  of  contraband 
goods,  includirg  numerous  pistols  (revolvers),  muskets, 
rifles,  ballets,  and  shot,  domestic  and  woollen  goods, 
morphine  and  quinine,  of  the  latter,  ninety-nine  ounces. 
After  imprisonment  and  trial,  the  Dr.  and  his  wife  were 


100    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AXD   DETECTIVES. 

Bent  south  beyond  the  lines,  and  their  property  confij*- 
cated. 

Newcomer  was  subsequently  employed  in  ferreting 
out  other  cases  of  a  similar  character,  of  which  there 
were  great  numbers  in  Louisville  and  Nashville.  In  one 
of  these  he  detected  one  Trainer,  a  wagon  master  in  the 
Union  army,  and  his  wife,  who  were  engaged  in  render- 
ing all  possible  aid  and  comfort  to  the  rebels,  by  smug- 
gling supplies,  and  placing  the  trains  of  the  Union  army 
in  dangerous  positions,  and  caused  their  arrest,  as  well 
as  that  of  several  of  their  accomplices.  From  these 
adroit  smugglers  was  taken  about  five  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars'  worth  of  quinine,  morphine,  and  opium, 
and  in  consequence  of  the  discoveries  made,  two  drug 
stores,  a  wholesale  and  a  retail  store,  were  seized  with 
their  contents,  to  the  value  of  about  seventy -five  thou- 
Band  dollars  more. 

Through  his  efforts,  and  those  of  other  detectives  in 
the  employ  of  the  army  police,  the  extensive  smugghng 
which  had  been  carried  on  by  rebel  emissaries  in  Nash- 
ville and  Louisville  was  rendered  so  dangerous  that  most 
of  it  was  abandoned. 


PAULINE  CUSHMAN, 

THE     CELEBRATED    UNION    SPY   AND   SCOUT   OP   THE   AEMT   OP   TH« 

CUMBERLAND. 

Among  the  wild  and  dashing  exploits  which  have  sig- 
nalized the  recent  war — rivalling  in  heroic  and  dramatic 
interest  the  most  famous  achievements  of  the  earlier  days 
of  chivalry — few  are  more  striking  or  picturesque  than 
the  simple  narrative  of  facts  which  we  are  about  to  relate. 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    101 

Miss  Pauline  Cushman,  or  "  Major"  Cushman,  as  she 
is,  by  right,  most  generally  called,  was  born  in  the  city 
of  New  Orleans,  on  the  10th  day  of  June,  1833,  her 
father  being  a  Spaniard,  a  native  of  Madrid,  and  a  pros- 
perous merchant  of  the  Crescent  city,  and  her  mother  a 
French  woman  of  excellent  social  position  and  attain- 
ments. In  course  of  time,  her  father  met  with  losses 
which  followed  one  another  in  rapid  succession,  and 
unable  to  stay  the  tide  of  adversity,  after  a  brave  but 
unavailing  struggle,  he  abandoned  his  enterprises  in 
New  Orleans,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Grand 
Kapids,  Michigan.  This  town  was  at  that  time  little  more 
than  a  frontier  settlement,  and  opening  an  establishment 
for  the  purposes  of  trade  with  the  neighboring  Indians, 
he  soon  found  himself  in  active  and  successful  business. 
Pauline,  meanwhile,  the  only  girl  in  a  family  of  six 
brothers,  had  arrived  at  the  age  of  ten  years,  and  was 
growing  in  beauty  and  intelligence.  The  circumstances 
which  surrounded  her  domestic  life,  however,  somewhat 
clouded  the  joy  of  the  young  girl's  earlier  years.  Her 
father's  rigid  nature  and  strong  passions  ill  matched 
with  her  mother's  gentle  and  retiring  temperament,  and 
she  was  therefore  sometimes  compelled  to  witness  scenea 
of  domestic  discord,  which  made  home  far  less  desirable 
than  it  should  have  been.  Fortunately,  however,  hei 
natural  inclinations  led  her  mostly  to  indulge  in  out-door 
sports,  and  she  was  thus  enabled  to  disperse  in  the  sun 
shine  of  forgetfulness  the  oppressive  gloom  which  too 
frequently  clouded  their  littie  home  circle.  And,  more 
than  that,  amid  the  plains,  the  varied  scenes  of  frontier 
life,  and  the  wild  compan  )ns  that  surrounded  her  in 
her  new  western  home,  she  insensibly  laid  the  foimda- 


102    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

tion  of  that  physical  strength  and  beauty,  and  that 
courageous  spirit,  which  has  since  distinguished  her 
every  action.  In  her  father's  store,  little  Pauline 
became  acquainted  with  the  most  noted  "  braves"  of  the 
neighboring  Indian  tribes,  and  by  her  kindly  attentions 
to  their  wants,  and  her  many  innocent,  childish  ways, 
completely  gained  their  confidence  and  good-will,  as  was 
manifested  by  the  poetic  appellation,  "Laughing  Breeze," 
which  they  bestowed  upon  her.  As  time  passed,  she 
grew  up  as  straight  as  an  arrow,  and  beautiful  as  a 
prairie  rose.  None  could  use  the  rifle  more  dexterously 
than  she ;  none  could  excel  her — whether  coursing  the 
broad  plains,  mounted  on  the  back  of  a  half-tamed  steed, 
without  saddle  or  bridle,  or  stemming  the  fierce  moun- 
tain currents  in  her  light  canoe — while  few  among  the 
dusky  natives  of  the  region  could  wing  an  arrow  with 
greater  certainty  than  this  pale-faced  maiden.  But 
gradually  civilization  in  his  westward  march  reached 
and  revolutionized  the  frontier  town  where  she  dwelt. 
And  with  the  novelties  and  luxuries,  the  inventions  and 
improvements,  which  came  from  the  far  eastern  cities — 
from  New  York,  Philadelphia,  etc. — came  also  wonder- 
ful reports  of  the  fascinations  and  delights  of  life  to  be 
found  there.  Exaggerated  by  distance,  and  by  her  own 
bright  imagination,  which  pictured  all  things  couleur  de 
rose,  these  glowing  descriptions  awakened  in  Pauline's 
breast  the  most  intense  desire  to  see  and  participate  in 
their  realities.  And,  ere  long,  we  find  her  in  New  York, 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  take  her  first  step  in  the 
real  life  of  which,  on  the  far  off  prairies,  she  had  so  often 
dreamed.  The  opp Drtuiiity  was  nearer  than  she  thought, 
for  soon  she  fell  ir  with  Mr.  Thomas  Placide,  manage? 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,   SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    103 

of  the  New  Orleans  "Varieties,"  who,  struck   by  her 
handsome  face   and  figure,  at  once  proposed  that  she 
should  enter  into  an  engagement  with  Inm,  and  appear 
at  his  theatre.     She  accepted  the  proposition,  and,  in 
due  time,  made  her  dehut  upon  the  boards  of  the  "  Varie^ 
ties,"  inspiring  in  the  hearts  of  the  impressible  people  of 
New  Orleans  an  admiration  which  partook  of  the  nature 
o^^  furor.     Gifted  with  rare  natural  gifts  of  mind  and 
body,  she  soon  became  widely  known  as  one  of  the  first 
of  American  actresses.     It  was  not,  however,  until  the 
spring  of  March,  1863,  that  Miss  Cushman  exchanged 
the  role  of  the  actress  for  the  real  acting  of  a  noble  and 
patriot  woman,  risking  her  life  in  solemn  and  terrible 
earnestness  for  her  country's  good. 

She  was,  at  that  time,  playing  at  Mozart  Hall,  or 
"Wood's  Theatre,"  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  then  the  head- 
quarters  of  the  rebel  sympathizers  of  the  southwest; 
and,  although  under  Union  rule,  these  gentry  had  be- 
come  so  emboldened,  from  long  continued  success,  as  to 
almost  set  the  Federal  authorities  at  defiance.     At  the 
house  where  Miss  Cushman  boarded,  she  was  unavoida- 
bly thrown  into  the  company  of  many  of  these  disloya 
persons;  and  among  her  acquaintances  she  numbered 
two  paroled  rebel  officers.  Colonel  Spear,  and  Captain 
J   H.  Blincoe,  whom,  apart  from  all  pohtical  considerar 
tions,  she  had  admitted  to  a  certain  degree  of  friendship. 
She  was  at  that  time  axiting  the  part  of  Plutella,  in  the 
"  Seven  Sisters,"  and  every  one  who  has  seen  this  widely 
popular  play,  will  remember  that  Plutella  has  to  assume, 
durin-  the  course  of  the  pie^e,  many  characters— at  one 
time  a  dashing  Zouave  officer,  at  another,  a  fine  gentle 
man  of  fashion,  and  in  this  last  chara^^^r  is  supposed  Xo 


104    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

drink  wine  with  a  friend.  One  afternoon,  while  receiv- 
ing a  call  from  these  two  rebel  officers,  and  talking  over 
the  play,  they  suddenly  proposed  to  her  to  "drink  a 
Southern  toast  in  the  evening,  and  see  what  effect  it 
will  have  upon  the  audience."  In  surprise,  she  ex- 
claimed, "  But  I  should  be  locked  up  in  jail,  if  I  were  to 
attempt  any  thing  of  that  kind."  They,  however,  scouted 
the  idea,  and  finally  offered  her  three  hundred  dollars  in 
greenbacks,  if  she  would  do  it.  Stifling  her  indignation 
at  the  base  proposal,  she  pretended  to  assent,  and  asked 
merely  for  a  little  time  to  think  it  over.  The  gentle- 
men left  to  prepare  matters  for  the  expected  surprise ; 
but  no  sooner  were  they  fairly  out  of  sight,  than  with 
cheeks  burning  and  eyes  flashing,  the  actress  pro- 
ceeded to  the  office  of  Colonel  Moore,  the  United  States 
Provost-Marshal,  with  whom  she  had  a  slight  acquaint- 
ance, and  to  whom  she  related  the  whole  affair.  He 
quietly  and  kindly  heard  her  story,  and  then,  thanking 
her  for  her  confidence,  coolly  advised  her  to  carry  out 
the  programme  of  her  rebel  advisers,  and  drink  the 
toast,  as  proposed,  at  the  theatre  that  evening.  Her 
amazement  at  this  may  be  better  imagined  than  de- 
scribed ;  but  the  colonel  finally  overcame  her  scruples, 
giving  her  to  understand  that  she  could  render  her  coun- 
try a  true  service  by  following  his  advice,  and  promising 
that  he  would  himself  be  present  at  the  theatre.  "Fear 
not,"  he  said;  "it  is  for  a  deeper  reason  than  you  think, 
that  I  beg  you  to  do  this  thing.  Good  may  come  of  it, 
to  your  country,  that  you  know  not  of."  To  the  view 
of  her  duty,  as  thus  presented,  she  patriotically  yielded 
her  assent,  and  returned  to  her  lodgings  to  prepare  for 
the  new  role  which  she  was  to  act,  and  to  get  ready  foj 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES.    105 

the  momentous  event  of  the  evening.  It  was  enough 
for  her  to  know  that  good  to  her  country  was  to  flow 
from  her  apparently  treasonable  act,  and  that  some  de- 
sign, of  which  she  was  yet  unconscious,  was  concealed 
beneath  it.  The  afternoon  was  well  improved  by  her 
rebel  friends  in  publishing  abroad  in  the  '^  secesh"  circles 
of  the  city,  that  something  rich  was  to  come  off  that 
evening  at  the  theatre.  It  seemed  to  our  heroine  thai 
the  afternoon  would  never  wear  away ;  and  yet,  as  the 
hour  approached,  her  heart  beat  fast  at  the  thought  ^hat 
the  momentous  moment  was  hastening  on.  At  last  the 
hour  arrived  for  her  to  set  out  to  the  theatre.  No  sooner 
had  she  stepped  within  the  building,  than  she  saw  that 
it  was  literally  packed.  Not  even  standing  room  was 
to  be  had  for  love  or  money.  Every  rebel  sympathizer 
in  town  had  heard  of  it,  and  all  were  there.  The  time 
approached  for  the  play  to  begin.  The  musicians  in  the 
orchestra  tuned  their  big  fiddles  in  their  usual  m3'ste- 
rious  manner.  Ushers  began  to  call  out  the  numbers  of 
Beats,  and  to  slam  the  doors  in  their  wonted  style.  The 
"  call-boy"  flew  here  and  there,  and  at  last,  in  obedience 
to  the  prompter's  bell,  the  curtam  began  to  rise,  discov- 
ering Mr.  Pluto  at  breakfast,  within  the  shades  of  Hades. 
There  was,  however,  a  veritable  Pluto  to  burst  upon 
them,  that  they  wot  not  of.  This  was  coming.  In  the 
meantime,  the  jokes  and  mirth  of  the  *•  Seven  Sisters" 
were  more  than  ordinarily  relished.  It  may  have  been 
that  those  in  the  secret  were  so  delighted  at  the  pros 
pect  of  seeing  the  Federal  authorities  thus  wantonly  in- 
sulted, that  they  greeted  every  thing  with  rapture,  and 
that  this  became  contagious  among  the  good  Union 
people  of  the  house,  who    }f  course,  were  ignorant  of  the 


lOfJ    NAiiRATIVES   OF    SPIES.    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

joke.  At  length  the  critical  moment  arrived,  and  ad- 
vancing in  her  theatrical  costume  to  the  foot  lights,  our 
heroine,  goblet  ii^  nand,  gave,  in  a  clear,  ringing  voice, 
the  following  voast : 

"  here's  to   JEFF.  DAVIS   AND  THE    SOUTHERN  CONFEDERACY.      ^L4.1 
THE    SOUTH    ALWAYS   MAINTAIN  HER   HONOR   AND    HER   BIQHTS  1" 

Miss  Cushman  had  prepared  herself  for  a  fearful  out- 
break of  popular  opinion,  but  for  a  moment  even  the 
hearts  of  the  audience  seemed  to  stop  beating.  Then, 
however,  it  burst  forth,  and  such  a  scene  followed  as 
beggars  description.  The  good  Union  portion  of  the 
audience  had  set,  at  first,  spell-bound  and  horrified  by  the 
fearful  treason  thus  outspoken,  while  the  "  secesh " 
were  frozen  with  the  audacity  of  the  act,  though  con- 
scious that  it  was  to  occur.  But  then  came  the  mingled 
storm  of  applause  and  condemnation.  Fierce  and  tu- 
multuous it  raged,  until  it  seemed  as  though  it  would 
never  stop.  Nor  was  the  scene  behind  the  scenes  less 
intense.  The  manager,  rushing  up  to  our  heroine,  de- 
manded, in  his  most  tragic  tone,  "  what  she  meant  by 
such  conduct ;"  while  the  rest  of  the  professional  gentle- 
men and  ladies  avoided  her  as  though  she  had  suddenly 
been  stricken  with  some  fearfully  contagious  disease. 
The  brave  girl,  however,  had  her  cue,  and  boldly  avowed 
that  she  "wasn't  afraid  of  the  whole  Yankee  crew,  and 
would  do  it  again."  In  short,  she  carried  out  her  part 
so  well,  that  no  one  doubted  for  a  moment  that  she  was 
a  most  virulent  secessionist.  Before  she  had  left  the 
theatre,  the  guards  arrived  to  arrest  her ;  but — out  of 
respect  to  Mr.  Wood,  the  proprietor  of  the  theatre — 
they  were  deterred  from  actually  executing  their  errand, 


NARRATIVES  OF    SPIES,    SCOUTSj    AND   DETECTIVES.    107 

and  it  was  arranged  that  she  should  report  at  head- 
quarters at  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning.  There  she 
was  welcomed  in  the  private  office  in  the  kindest  man- 
ner, and  earnestly  thanked  by  Colonel  Moore,  and  his 
superior.  General  Boyle,  for  the  capital  manner  in  which 
Bhe  had  carried  out  the  pseudo-treasoniihle  plan.  She  was 
now  enlightened  as  to  the  design  of  the  United  States 
officers,  who  informed  her  that  she  must  enter  the 
secret  service  of  the  government.  They  also  advised  her 
to  moderate  her  "  secesh  "  proclivities  in  public,  as  if  she 
had  received  a  severe  reprimand  from  General  Boyle ; 
but,  in  private,  to  abuse  the  government,  and  say  all  the 
harm  she  could  about  it ;  by  which  means  she  would  in- 
spire confidence  among  the  disaffected,  and  would  be  of 
incalculable  use  to  the  national  cause.  Promising  a 
ready  and  strict  compliance  with  these  requests,  she  re- 
turned to  her  lodgings,  where  she  found  a  note  awaiting 
her  from  the  management  of  the  theatre,  discharging 
her  from  her  engagement  there. 

Thrown  afresh,  as  it  were,  upon  the  world,  Miss  Cush- 
man  now  found  herself  in  a  most  peculiar  and  embarrass- 
ing position.  Shunned  by  her  former  friends  as  bearing 
the  brand  of  disloyalty — slighted — jeered  at — flung  by 
the  force  of  her  own  act  upon  the  sympathies  and  com- 
panionship of  a  cowardly  crew  of  rebel  sympathizers, 
from  whose  treason  her  very  nature  revolted,  her  situa- 
tion was  one  of  peculiar  hardship  and  disagreeableness. 
She  was  sustained,  however,  by  the  thought  that  she 
was  sacrificing  her  own  prospects  and  feelings  for  her 
country's  good.  The  work  before  her  was  full  of  dan- 
ger, excitement,  and  importance.  Louisville,  at  this 
time,  was  ur.dermined  by  disloyal  sentiments  and  trea- 


108   NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AXD   DETECTIYES. 

sonable  plots.  Every  expedient  that  human  and 
disloyal  ingenuity  could  devise  to  annoy  and  harass  the 
loyal  Union  people  of  that  section,  or  to  cripple  the 
power  and  operations  of  the  government,  was  resorted 
to  with  malignant  delight — even  by  wealth}-  and  well 
known  citizens  of  Louisville.  Many  of  these  plots  Miss 
Cushman  was  the  means  of  bringing  to  light  and  to 
punishment ;  and,  in  so  doing,  had  to  assume  various 
disguises,  mingling  with  every  class  of  people,  from  the 
cut-throats  of  the  low  groggeries  to  the  best  circles  of 
"  secesh "  society.  Her  most  dangerous  service,  how- 
ever, was  scouting  in  search  of  guerillas,  to  accomplish 
which,  she  was  frequently  compelled  to  don  male  attire 
and  to  remain  in  the  saddle  all  night ;  and  many  and 
varied  were  the  strange  adventures  which  she  met  with. 
But  her  coolness,  her  energy,  and  patriotism  carried  her 
successfully  through  these  experiences,  and  God's  special 
providence  seemed  always  to  be  with  her.  The  most 
important  service,  however,  which  she  rendered  her 
country  while  in  Louisville,  was  the  detection  of  her 
landlady  in  the  act  of  mixing  up  poison  in  the  coffee  of 
a  number  of  sick  and  wounded  Union  soldiers,  who  had 
been  quartered  upon  her.  She  managed  to  play  the 
"  sympathizer "  until  she  had  gained  a  full  knowledge 
of  the  plan,  and  then  secretly  informed  the  United 
States  authorities,  by  whom  the  poor  soldiers  were  re- 
moved in  time  from  the  fate  which  awaited  them,  and 
the  fiend-woman  was  treated  to  her  deserved  punish- 
ment. 

At  another  time,  personating  the  somewhat  notorious 
George  N.  Sanders,  purporting  to  have  just  returned 
from  Europe  with  highly  important   despatches,  con- 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    109 

oerning  the  recognition  of  the  Confederacy,  etc.,  and  also 
a  certain  Captain  Denver,  alicis  Conklin,  Miss  Cushman 
most  successfully  ''gammoned"  some  of  the  leading  eeces- 
Bionists  of  Louisville,  especially  a  Mrs.  Ford,  and  placed 
a  very  elTectual  embargo  on  a  large  amount  of  quinine, 
morphine,  and  other  medicines,  which  were  in  transit  to 
the  rebel  arm}'. 

In  course  of  time,  Mr.  J.  R.  Allen,  of  the  new  thea- 
tre of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  arrived  at  Louisville,  engaged 
in  looking  up  a  good  company  of  actors,  and  meeting 
with  Mr.  Wood  of  the  Louisville  theatre,  was  recom- 
mended to  secure  Miss  Cushman.  "  She  is  a  good  look- 
ing woman,  and  an  accomplished  actress,  but  she  will 
talk  '  secesh.'  If  you  can  only  keep  her  out  of  the 
provost-marshal's  hands,  you  will  make  a  good  thing, 
for  she  will  be  popular  at  once,"  said  Mr.  Wood.  So 
the  proposition  was  made  to  Pauline,  and,  after  advising 
with  the  military  authorities,  under  whose  guidance  she 
was  acting,  she  determined  to  accept  it.  Of  course,  in 
order  to  maintain  her  assumed  part,  the  authorities  had 
to  refuse  her  a  "pass,"  and  her  only  way,  therefore, 
to  get  out  of  Louisville,  was  to  "  run  the  blockade." 
Proceeding,  at  the  appointed  time,  to  the  cars,  she  got  a 
"  secesh"  gentleman,  going  to  Nashville,  to  attend  to  her 
trunk ;  then  she  requested  leave  of  the  guard,  at  the  door 
of  the  car,  to  speak  to  a  friend  inside,  "only  for  one 
minute."  Her  woman's  face  prevailed,  he  let  her  pass, 
and  she  took  pains  to  stay  within  the  car.  When  the 
officer  of  the  guard  came  around  to  inspect  the  passes, 
she  had  a  "made  up  story"  all  ready,  at  the  same  time 
phowing  her  order  from  Mr.  Allen  to  report  herself  im- 
naediately  a ''.  his  theatre.     He  hesitated,  but  her  pleasing 


110    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

face  and  a  few  womanly  tears  carried  the  point,  and  our 
heroine  was  soon  on  her  way  to  Nashville,  at  that  time 
the  base  of  operations  of  the  glorious  Array  of  the 
Southwest. 

On  her  arrival  at  Nashville,  she  met  with  a  warm  recep- 
tion from  "Secessia,"  who  were  brimful  of  congratulations 
at  her  escape  from  the  Federal  power  at  Louisville,  and 
of  exultation  at  her  having  got  away  from  that  place  with- 
out even  securing  a  "pass"  or  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
In  her  character  of  actress  she  soon  became  exceedingly 
popular,  but  her  stay  at  the  theatre  was  a  short  one : 
for,  on  her  return  from  rehearsal  one  day,  she  found  a 
summons  from  Colonel  Truesdail,  the  chief  of  the  army 
police  of  Nashville.  On  entering  his  office,  she  was  re- 
ceived by  him  politely  but  distantly,  as  due  to  a  stranger ; 
but,  no  sooner  had  he  dismissed  his  clerks,  than  his 
whole  manner  changed  to  one  of  cordiality.  After  com 
plimenting  her  for  her  previous  important  services  to  the 
country,  he  informed  her  that  he  had  selected  her  for  a 
duty  that  would  not  only  require  the  greatest  discretion, 
constancy,  and  quickness  of  perception  which  she  could 
command,  but  which  was  one  of  extraordinary  peril — 
an  undertaking  which  might  end  in  glory,  or  in  an  igno- 
minious death  by  the  bullet,  or  hy  the  rope !  At  these 
words  she  involuntarily  shrank  back,  but  yet  she  an- 
swered in  a  firm  tone  : 

"  Colonel  Truesdail,  hundreds,  aye,  thousands  of  our 
noble  soldiers,  each  one  of  greater  service  to  our  country 
than  my  poor  self,  have  gladly  given  up  their  lives  in 
lier  cause.  Should  I  hesitate  to  do  as  much  ?  No ;  I 
will  do  all  that  a  woman  sJiould  do,  and  all  that  a  man 
'Jare  do,  for  my  country  and  the  Union  1" 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    Ill 

Charmed  with  the  noble  heroism  which  breathed  in 
these  words,  the  colonel  proceeded  to  reveal  the  service 
for  which  she  was  to  be  detailed,  and  to  give  her  the 
necessary  instructions.  The  duty  which  was  required 
of  her,  was  to  secretly  visit  the  rebel  General  Bragg's 
headquarters,  an  enterprise  at  that  time  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance, and  on6  upon  which  the  whole  fate  of  the  Union 
cause  seemed  to  depend.  First,  she  was  to  be  sent  out 
of  the  lines,  in  company  with  many  other  rebel  women 
who  were  being  sent  South,  in  obedience  to  a  late  order 
of  General  Mitchell.  To  this  very  natural  reason,  she 
added  another,  i.  e.,  that  she  had  a  brother,  A.  A.  Cush- 
man,  who  was  a  colonel  somewhere  in  the  rebel  army, 
and  a  professed  anxiety  to  find  him  afforded  a  very 
clever  ostensible  reason  for  her  travelling  from  hejdquar- 
ters  to  headquarters,  and  from  place  to  place  through 
the  South.  She  was  then  instructed  to  make  no  con- 
fidants; not  to  talk  too  mucli;  to  make  the  same 
answers  to  all  parties,  and  never  to  deviate  from  the 
story,  when  once  framed.  The  search  for  her  brothei 
was  to  be  the  free  and  confessed  object  of  her  travels- 
and  under  this  pretence  she  was  to  visit  the  rebej 
armies  at  Columbia,  Shelbyville,  Wartrace,  Tullahoma, 
and  Manchester.  She  was  to  make  no  direct  m- 
quiries  of  ofiicers  or  others  concerning  the  strength  of 
the  Confederate  forces,  movements,  supplies,  etc.,  but, 
in  accepting  the  offers  to  ride  and  other  attentions 
which  her  personal  attractions  would  probably  secure 
her  from  officers,  she  was  to  keep  her  eyes  oj^en,  and 
note  every  thing  of  importance  which  she  might  see.  In 
the  hospitals,  she  was  to  make  such  observations  as  she 
could,  concerning  the  medical  and  hospital  supplies,  the 


112   NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTIVES. 

Qumber  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  etc.  But  she  was 
especially  advised  not,  on  any  account,  to  make  any 
memorandum  or  tracings  of  any  kind ;  only  keeping  a 
brief  memoranda  of  the  houses  at  which  she  stopped, 
amount  of  bill,  and  date,  which  being  so  customary  as 
not  to  excite  suspicion,  would  yet  serve  to  refresh  the 
memory  on  certain  points.  The  Oath  of  Fidelity  to  the 
United  States  was  then  solemnly  administered  to  Miss 
Cushman ;  the  gallant  colonel  presented  to  her  a  hand- 
some "  six-shooter,"  and  on  a  glorious  May  morning, 
under  the  pretended  surveillance  of  an  officer,  she  was 
conveyed  beyond  the  lines  as  a  disloyal  woman. 
Arrived  at  a  point  some  three  miles  distant  from  Nash- 
ville, out  of  sight  of  any  human  habitation,  the  carriage 
stopped,  and  Miss  Cushman  found  awaiting  her  a  fine 
bay  horse,  fully  caparisoned,  which  she  mounted,  and 
bidding  farewell  to  her  military  escort,  she  galloped 
gayly  down  the  Hardin  pike,  followed  by  the  good 
wishes  of  the  few  who  knew  her  real  character  and 
purpose. 

The  close  of  her  first  day's  journej^  brought  her  to  the 
Big  Harpeth  river,  the  bridge  across  which  had  been  so 
injured  by  the  rebels  that  it  was  impossible  for  any  one 
to  cross  it,  and  in  following  a  side  path  which  seemed  to 
lead  to  a  ford,  Miss  Cushman  came  upon  a  nice  looking 
dwelling  house,  where  she  stopped  to  inquire  about  the 
road.  From  the  inmates  she  found  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  cross  at  present,  at  least  without  help ;  and 
accordingly,  the  sympathies  of  the  woman  of  the  house 
having  been  fully  enlisted  by  the  story  of  the  cruel  treat- 
ment received  by  Miss  Cushman  from  the  Federal 
authorities  of  Nashville,  she  was  allowe^^  ''p  spend  the 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTITES.    113 

ni^lit  there.  In  the  morning,  her  host,  Milam  by  name, 
who  carried  on  a  considerable   business  in  smufr2:lin<; 

CO         o 

goods  and  supplies  out  of  Nashville  for  the  benefit  of  his 
rebel  friends  across  the  river,  purchased  her  horse  and 
equipments,  giving  her  confederate  funds  therefore  and 
hired  her  a  buggy  and  driver  under  whose  care  she  set 
forth  in  the  direction  of  Columbia.  Through  dreary 
woods  and  terrible  roads  and  a  drenching  rain  the} 
pursued  their  way,  finally  arriving  at  her  destination, 
where  she  was,  fortunately  for  her  strength,  compelled  to 
wait,  for  three  days,  the  re-opening  of  the  railroad  to 
Shelbyville,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Union 
troops.  While  here,  she  met  with  much  sympathy  from 
the  rebels,  to  whom  she  appeared  in  the  character  of  an 
abused  woman,  seeking  for  her  brother,  an  officer  in 
the  army ;  and  she  also  had  to  pass  the  scrutiny  of  more 
experienced  judges — officers,  and  others  high  in  official 
rank.  But  she  bore  the  test,  and  in  turn  made  the  most 
suspicious  her  most  useful  tools.  Columbia  proved  a 
rich  field  to  our  heroine,  who  made  many  friends  and 
accumulated  much  valuable  acquaintance  while  there. 
Soon  she  went  to  Shelbyville,  from  whence  she  found, 
much  to  her  annoyance,  that  Bragg  had  removed  hia 
headquarters — and  where  she  could  not  ascertain.  But, 
ever  alive  to  any  opportunity  that  offered  of  doing  good 
to  her  country,  she  acquired  some  valuable  information 
which  more  than  compensated  her  for  the  frustration  of 
her  original  object  in  visiting  Shelbyville.  It  chanced 
that  she  learned  that  at  the  same  hotel  table  where  she 
dined  there  sat  a  young  officer  of  engineers,  who  waa 
engaged  in  drawing  important  plans  for  the  rebel  gov- 
ernment.     She   immediately    -conceived    the   plan    of 


114    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

obtaining  these  plans,  at  whatever  risk  to  herself,  and 
to  get  back  to  the  Federal  lines,  which  she  thought 
could  be  easily  effected,  and  in  time  to  be  of  the  utmost 
service  to  her  country.  As  an  excuse  for  wishing  to  re- 
turn to  the  Federal  lines,  she  would  represent  that 
having  been  hurriedly  sent  out  of  Nashville  b}-  the 
Federal  officers,  she  had  been  compelled  to  leave  all  her 
theatrical  wardrobe  Ijehind  her  in  her  flight,  and  now 
she  was  desirous  of  recovering  it,  so  that  she  might  be 
able  to  accept  some  engagement  at  some  of  the  theatres 
throughout  the  country,  and  earn  enough  money  to  en- 
able her  to  pursue  her  journey  in  search  of  her  brother. 
Luckily,  as  if  to  further  her  plans,  about  this  time,  she 
received  the  offer  of  an  engagement  from  the  manager 
of  the  Richmond  theatre,  which  of  course  tallied  exactly 
with  her  scheme.  Her  next  move  was  to  get  acquainted 
with  the  young  engineer  officer,  which  was  soon  effected 
by  a  letter  of  safeguard  given  her  by  one  of  her  Shelby- 
ville  friends.  Major  Boone ;  and  soon,  with  her  pretty 
woman's  ways,  she  had  won  his  entire  confidence  so 
completely,  that  he  even  offered  to  give  her  letters  of 
introduction  to  General  Bragg.  Calling  upon  him  at 
his  office,  she  was  warmly  welcomed,  and  finally  excu- 
sing liimself  whilst  he  retired  to  an  adjoining  room  to 
write  the  promised  letters  of  introduction.  Miss  Cush- 
man  found  herself  alone  in  the  room  with  the  much 
coveted  plans  and  drawings.  In  the  few  moments  which 
elapsed  during  his  absence  from  the  room,  she  contrived 
to  slip  the  plans  into  her  bosom,  and  when  he  returned, 
she  received  from  him  the  letters  and  left  him  as  unsus 
pec  ting  and  as  pleasant  as  ever — unconscious  of  his 
loss.     Shortly  after  she  left  Shelbyville  on  her  wa^  to 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS.   AND    DETECTIVES.    115 

Nashville ;  and,  during  a  short  halt,  at  a  place  called 
Wartrace,  she  undertook  a  scouting  enterprise  with  the 
view  of  communicating  valuable  information  to  some  of 
the  roving  bands  of  Union  cavalry,  who  were  almost 
daily  engaged  in  skirmishing  with  the  rebel  cavalry. 
In  carrying  out  this  plan,  her  first  requisite  was,  of 
course,  a  man's  suit  of  clothes,  and  to  get  these  she  now 
Bet  her  wits  to  work.  At  the  same  hotel  where  she  was 
stopping  was  a  young  man  of  about  seventeen  years  ot 
age,  whose  clothes  she  thought  would  just  fit  her,  but 
how  to  get  them  was  the  question.  With  only  the 
knowledge  that  he  slept  in  the  upper  story  of  the  house, 
but  provokingly  ignorant  of  which  room  he  occu- 
pied, she  resolved  to  "  scout"  around  in  the  dark,  and, 
"  hit  or  miss,"  make  a  desperate  attempt  to  secure  the 
clothes. 

So  after  a  series  of  adventures  in  the  dark,  which 
succeeded  only  in  arousing  nearly  all  the  inmates  of  the 
several  rooms  on  the  corridor,  our  discomfited  heroine, 
beating  a  hasty  retreat  from  the  discovery  which  now 
seemed  inevitable,  desperately  tried  the  handle  of  a 
small  door  near  at  hand.  To  her  great  joy  it  yielded, 
and  slipping  hastily  in,  she  found  herself  in  a  low,  poorly- 
furnished  chamber — in  which  lay  sleeping  the  very  man 
whose  clothes  she  had  been  seeking.  Luckily,  the  up- 
roar in  the  hall  had  not  awakened  him,  and  waiting  till 
all  was  quiet  again,  she  grabbed  the  clothes  and  sped 
silently  to  her  own  room.  Hastily  dressing  herself  in 
the  stolen  suit,  she  crept  softly  down-stairs,  past  the 
sleeping  negro  boy  in  the  hall,  out  to  the  stables,  and 
there  she  speedily  saddled  one  of  the  best  horses  which 
she  could   find,  and  pushed  her  way  out  of  the  town. 


116    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    A.ND   DETECTIVES. 

Into  the  woods  phe  rode,  and  finally,  when  some  three 
miles  out  of  Wartrace,  came  suddenly  upon  a  guerilla 
encampment,  and  was  busily  engaged  in  playing  the 
eavesdropper  to  their  camp-fire  conversation  when  she 
unluckilj-  stepped  upon  a  brittle  branch  which  snapped 
under  her  feet.  Instantly  they  took  the  alarm,  and  she 
scarcely  had  time  to  mount  her  horse  before  they  were 
m  full  chase  after  her.  Gradually  they  gained  upon  her, 
when  suddenly  she  found  herself  approaching,  at  full 
speed,  a  precipitous  rock,  at  the  foot  of  which  meandered 
a  small  stream.  It  was  impossible  to  check  the  head- 
long speed  of  her  horse,  and  her  pursuers  were  close  upon 
her ;  so,  shutting  her  eyes,  and  striking  the  spurs  deep 
into  the  animals  flanks,  she  plunged  down  the  mountain 
side.  Her  pursuers  did  not  dare  to  follow,  but  standing 
at  the  top  of  the  bluff",  contented  themselves  with  wing- 
ing their  pistol  bullets  after  her.  Suddenly,  just  as  she 
hoped  that  she  was  fairly  escaped,  one  of  her  pursuers 
discovered  a  bridle  path,  and  the  chase  recommenced. 
Pushing  hastily  into  the  woods  which  lined  the  creek, 
she  endeavored  to  regain  the  road  to  "Wartrace,  for  she 
was  now  threatened  with  two  dilemmas ;  if  daylight 
overtook  her  before  she  could  get  back  to  the  hotel,  her 
theft  of  the  clothes  and  horse  would  be  discovered ;  and 
if  taken  by  her  pursuers  she  would  inevitably  be  taken 
to  Wartrace,  it  being  the  nearest  town.  On  she  rode, 
at  full  speed,  until  she  found  herself  gaining  upc  n  the 
rebel  riders,  and  suddenly  came  upon  a  wounded  Union 
cavalryman,  scarce  able  to  sit  upon  his  horse,  from  the 
effects  of  a  wound  received  while  scouting,  a  few  hours 
before.  She  at  first  mistook  him  for  a  "  reb,"  but 
ascertaining  the  truth,  a  plan  of  escape  flashed  through 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    117 

her  brain,  and  she  quickly  revealed  to  him  her  sex  and 
name,  and  asked  his  aid.  The  brave  fellow  had  heard 
of  the  "  Woman  scout  of  the  Cumberland,"  and,  faint 
and  wounded  as  he  was,  gladly  and  bravely  offered  to 
carry  out  her  plan  at  the  risk  of  his  life.  Firing  her 
pistol  into  the  air,  she  instructed  the  soldier  to  say  to 
the  pursuing  party,  who  would  inevitably  be  drawn 
thither  by  the  report,  that  he  had  been  met  and  shot  by 
a  "  reb."  She  told  him  that  he  could  not  expect,  from 
his  w(  unds,  to  escape  capture,  and  advised  him  to  stii 
himself  around  so  as  to  make  his  wound  bleed  afresh. 
He  obeyed,  and  let  himself  fall  off  his  horse,  while  Miss 
Cushman  gave  the  animal  a  sharp  blow  which  sent  him 
flying  down  the  road.  When  the  rebel  horsemen  galloped 
up  to  the  spot,  they  found  the  soldier  lying  at  the  foot 
of  a  tree,  bleeding  freely,  and  in  a  state  of  unconscious- 
ness from  his  sudden  fall,  while  over  him  bent  our  hero- 
ine, pistol  in  hand.  To  their  surprised  and  hurried 
query  who  she  was,  she  promptly  replied :  "  I  am  a 
farmer's  son,  over  near  Wartrace,  and  I  surrender  to  you; 
but  I  have  shot  your  best  fellow,  here,  and  only  wish  I 
had  shot  more  of  ye."  To  their  astonished  looks  and 
questions  as  to  what  he  meant,  she  replied  in  the  same 
bitter  vein ;  "  1  mean  just  what  I  say,  I  am  only  sorry 
that  I  didn't  kill  more  of  you  darned  Yankees,  that 
comes  down  yhere  and  runs  all  our  niggers  off!"  Com- 
pletely misled  by  her  skilful  acting,  the  rebels  now  saw 
that  the  boy  had  mistaken  them  for  Yankees  ;  and  on 
questioning  the  Yankee  soldier,  who  was  gradually  re- 
covering from  his  faintness,  the  brave  fellow,  true  to 
mstructions,  designated  the  "  farmer  s  boy,"  as  the  :ne 
who  had  shot  him,  "  bxjause  he  was  a  Yankee."     It  now 


1J8    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

became  evident  to  the  "rebs'*that  each  party  had 
mistaken  the  other  for  "  Yanks ;"  but  for  further  precau- 
tion, Pauline  was  ordered  to  a(.'Company  them,  and  the 
wounded  soldier  was  placed  on  a  horse,  and  the  party 
took  up  their  march  to  Wartrace.  This  was  a  programme 
'lot  at  all  agreeable  to  her,  and  as  they  rode  along 
through  the  darkness  of  the  forest,  she  conceived  the  idea 
of  creating  a  "scare,"  hoping  to  avail  herself  of  the  con- 
fusion to  get  jflf  and  make  her  escape  to  Wartrace  before 
daylight  should  make  it  too  late  to  escape  detection  as 
a  thief  So  as  they  were  passing  through  a  narrow  gorge 
of  the  road,  thickly  overshadowed  by  tall  forest  trees, 
— a  nice  place  for  an  ambush — she  managed  to  fall  behind 
the  party  and  become  hidden  by  a  bend  in  the  road. 
Then  taking  out  her  revolver,  she  fired  five  shots  in 
rapid  succession.  As  she  expected,  her  rebel  companions 
were  startled.  Supposing  themselves  ambushed  by  Fed- 
eral cavalry,  fear  lent  a  thousand  terrors  to  their  minds, 
and  their  imaginations  gave  new  echoes  to  the  reports  of 
the  pistol.  Away  they  went,  pell-mell,  and  laughing 
heartily  at  the  success  of  her  "  scare,"  Miss  Cushman 
rapidly  galloped  to  Wartrace,  where  she  luckily  succeed- 
ed in  comfortably  housing  her  steed  and  in  returning  the 
borrowed  clothes,  without  detection — and,  in  due  time, 
answered  the  summons  of  the  breakfast  bell,  as  rosy  and 
fresh-faced,  and  as  innocent  in  look  and  manner,  as  if 
the  night  had  been  spent  comfortably  in  her  bed. 

After  several  stirring  adventures  at  Tullahoma,  where 
she  made  a  short  stay,  she  returned  to  Columbia,  where 
she  remained  awhile,  engaged  in  picking  up  all  the  in- 
formation which  it  was  possible  to  secure.  Here,  too, 
she  mot  1  er  friends  (and  lovers  too,  if  truth  were  spoken), 


IfARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    119 

Major  Boone,  and  Captain  P.  A.  Blackman,  rebel  quarter- 
master, the  latter  of  whom  urged  her  to  adopt  man's 
apparel  and  join  the  Confederate  army,  with  the  promise 
of  a  position  as  his  aide-de-camp,  and  the  rank  of  lieu- 
tenant. This  flattering  proposition  was  accepted — the 
enamored  captain  forthwith  ordered  a  complete  rebel 
oihcer's  uniform,  and  it  was  agreed  that  so  soon  as  she 
should  return  from  her  proposed  trip  to  Nashville,  she 
should  accompany  him  as  aide.  Meanwhile,  she  was  not 
slow  to  accept  every  invitation  from  him  to  ride  over  the 
neighboring  country,  thereby  gaining  that  complete 
knowledge  of  camps,  fortifications,  and  the  paraphernalia 
of  war,  which  was  deemed  essential  to  the  new  officer. 
[t  may  here  be  noticed  that  Miss  Cushman  now  departed 
from  the  strict  instructions  which  she  had  received  from 
her  military  superiors,  not  to  make  drawings,  plans,  etc., 
of  fortifications ;  and  at  Shelby ville  and  TuUahoma  she 
made  careful  and  accurate  drawings,  which  she  concealed 
between  the  inner  and  outer  soles  of  her  boot.  This 
dereliction  of  duty,  though  intended  for  the  best,  proved 
the  ultimate  cause  of  the  troubles  and  miseries  which 
afterward  befell  her.  On  her  return  to  the  house  at 
the  crossing  of  the  Big  Harpeth  river,  in  company  with 
the  same  man  who  had  brought  her  over  before,  he  in- 
duced her  to  cross  the  bridge  on  foot,  saying  that  the 
ford  was  impassable,  owing  to  late  rains.  She  did  so, 
and  instead  of  following  by  another  ford,  he  incontinently- 
disappeared,  leaving  her  with  but  a  small  moiety  of  hei 
baggage,  some  distance  from  her  destination,  and  the 
night  rapidly  approaching.  Indeed  it  was  quite  dark 
when  she  reached  Milam's  house,  where  she  had  soent 
th*^  nignr   and  soH  her  horse  b*^fore  going  to  Columbia. 


120   NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

Mrs.  Milam,  who  had  before  been  so  cordial,  was  now 
evidently  suspicious,  and  our  heroine's  comfort  was  not 
increased  by  her  interview  with  the  husband  on  the 
following  morning.  He  informed  her  that  her  trunks 
which  she  had  left  at  Nashville,  had  been  seized  by- 
Colonel  Truesdail,  whereupon  she  made  a  gi-eat  show  of 
pretended  indignation,  declaring  that  she  would  go  to 
Nashville,  "  if  she  had  to  walk  all  the  way,"  and  get 
them  back ;  and  offering  to  buy  back  her  horse.  Un- 
Ibrtunately,  her  host,  who  had  made  her  a  confidant  of 
his  treasonable  plans  and  acts  when  she  was  his  guest 
on  the  occasion  of  her  going  to  Columbia,  as  he  thought, 
permanently,  was  suspicious  of  her  sudden  return,  and 
by  no  means  inclined  to  injure  his  own  prospects,  by 
helping  her  to  return  to  Nashville,  where,  if  false  to  her 
assumed  character,  he  knew  she  would  "  post "  the  au- 
thorities concerning  him.  He  therefore  communicated 
with  the  nearest  rebel  scout  post,  and  ere  long  she  was 
placed  under  arrest,  and  transferred  to  Anderson's  Mill, 
where  she  was  disarmed  and  examined  by  the  officer  in 
charge.  Finding  that  she  had  no  ^'  pass,"  she  was  held 
as  a  prisoner  of  war,  until  her  case  could  be  reported  to 
and  acted  upon  by  General  Bragg.  Moreover,  she  was 
not  allowed  to  return  to  the  house  at  Big  Harpeth  where 
she  had  left  a  satchel  containing  her  rebel  uniform  and 
several  articles  of  pressing  use  and  value.  Fortunately 
she  had  come  across  her  horse  on  the  road  to  Anderson's 
Mill,  at  the  house  of  one  De  Moss,  and  claiming  him  at 
once,  had  taken  possession  of  him,  and  as  night  closed 
in,  she  found  herself  again  on  the  road,  still  a  prisoner. 
About  noon  the  next  day,  her  guide  stopped  with  hei 
for  refreshment  at  the  house  of  a  well-known  physician, 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    121 

and  while  there,  a  large  body  of  Confederate  cavalry 
passed,  under  command  of  the  famous  General  Morgan. 
His  attention  being  called  to  Miss  Cushraan,  he  detailed 
lier  guard  to  another  special  duty,  and  took  her  under 
his  own  care  and  watch,  and  she  enjoyed  his  gallant 
attentions  until  they  reached  Hillsboro,  where  she  waa 
handed  over  to  another  scout  to  be  taken  to  General 
Forrest's  headquarters. 

During  the  long   ride  which   ensued   she   concocted 
another  nice  little  scheme  foi  escape.     Knowing  that 
General  Rosecrans  was  much  dreaded  by  the  rebels  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  who  haidly  knew  where  they 
might  next  expect  an  attack  from  him,  she  knew  that 
if  she  could  raise  the  cry,  "  Old  Rosy  is  coming,"  a  gen- 
eral *'  skedaddle  "  would  ensue,  instanter.    She  felt  sure, 
also,  that  she  was  not   regarded  as  a  very  important 
political  prisoner,  and  would  probably  be  dropped  imme- 
diately by  her   guards,  in   order   to   effect   their   own 
escape.     Her  horse,  she  noticed,  stood  still  saddled  in  a 
small  outhouse,  and  the  storm  which  raged  with  much 
fury,  was  favorable  to  her  project.     Watching  her  oppor- 
tunity, therefore,  she  made  friends  with  an  aged  negro 
man  about  the  place,  and  gave  hun  a  ten  dollar  green- 
back if  he  would,  at  a  proper  time   of  night,  run  up 
the  road  a  piece,  and  then  back  again,  shouting  as  loud 
as  he  could,  ''the  Yankees  are  coming!"     Tho  old  ne- 
gro  entered  heartily  into  the  plan,  and  carried  it  out 
successfully      At  the  darkest  hour  of  the  stormy  night, 
the  whole    "negro   quarters"    poured   into   the  house 
where  the  guards  and  their  prisoner  were  sleeping,  and 
"  the  Yanks !  the  Yanks  am  a^joming !"  resounded  fron» 
a  dQ7en  thoroughly  frightened  throats.     Sauve  qui  peut, 


122   NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND  DETECTI7ES. 

was  the  word,  the  rebels  fled  incontinently,  and  oui 
heroine,  flinging  herself  upon  her  horse,  sped  away  on 
the  road  to  Franklin.  She  had  provided  herself,  some- 
how, with  a  pistol  belonging  to  a  wounded  rebel  soldier 
in  a  house  where  she  had  stopped ;  and  pushing  her 
way  fearlessly  along  she  reached  and  passed,  with 
peculiar  adroitness,  five  rebel  pickets,  but  was  finally 
foiled  and  obliged  to  turn  back  before  the  uuswervable 
honesty  of  the  last  picket  on  the  road,  who  would  not 
allow  her  to  pass  him  without  the  proper  document. 
At  a  house  near  the  road,  where  death  had  bereaved 
the  family  of  an  infant  child,  the  tired  girl  found  a 
refuge  and  shelter  from  storm  and  fatigue. 

She  was  awakened  from  her  sound  slumbers  the  next 
morning  by  the  unwelcome  appearance  of  four  of  the 
rebel  scouts  from  whom  she  had  escaped  the  night  before, 
and  who  had  tracked  her  all  the  way  from  Hillsboro. 
Although  she  pretended  to  be  glad  to  see  them  and  ex- 
plained her  separation  from  them  as  the  result  of  her 
fears  of  the  ''  Yanks,"  they  were  neither  gulled  nor 
mollified,  but  gruffly  ordered  her  to  accompany  them 
back,  without  even  taking  the  breakfast  which  her  kind 
hostess  pressed  upon  them.  And  soon  she  was  in  the 
saddle,  and  proceeding  on  her  journey,  under  the  care  of 
her  scouts,  who  evinced  more  than  usual  watchfulness 
ver  her.  She  was  first  taken  to  General  Morgan,  who 
recnved  her  with  his  wonted  courteousness,  and  he  ac- 
companied her  to  General  Forrest's  headquarters.  That 
celebrated  chief,  after  a  trying  examination,  sent  her, 
under  guard,  to  General  Bragg.  On  arriving  at  Shelby- 
ville,  she  was  shown  at  once  to  the  general's  headquar- 
tt*rs,  which  were  in  the  heart  of  the  camp.    On  entering 


NARRATIVES  OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    123 

she  was  met  by  a  small  sized  man,  with  small,  dark  gray 
eyes,  iron  gray  hair  and  whiskers,  and  bronzed  face. 
This  was  General  Bragg.  His  manner  was  stern,  but 
gentlemanly,  and  after  glancing  over  the  papers  handed 
to  him  by  her  guide,  he  began : 

"  Of  what  country  are  you  a  native,  Miss  Cushman?" 
he  asked,  waving  her  to  a  chair  with  his  hand. 

"  I  am  an  American,  sir ;  but  of  French  and  Spanish 
parentage,"  she  answered. 

"  And  you  were  born  where  ?"  he  asked. 

"  In  the  city  of  New  Orleans." 

"  Hum !"  ejaculated  the  general,  doubtingly.  "  Hoit 
comes  it,  then,  that — that  your  pronunciation  has  the 
Yankee  twang  ?" 

"  It  comes,  probably,  from  the  fact  that  I  am,  profes 
sionally,  an  actress,"  she  answered  promptly,  "  and  as  I 
am  in  the  habit  of  playing  Yankee  characters  very  fre- 
quently, it  may  be  that  I've  caught  the  "  twang  "  by  it, 
and  show  it  in  my  ordinary  conversation,  as  well  as  on 
the  stage." 

"Hum!"  growled  the  general  again.  "But  what 
brought  you  down  South  ?" 

"  I  was  not  brought,  sir ;  I  was  sent,''  answered  Pau- 
line, proudly. 

"  By  whom,  may  I  ask.  Miss  Cushman  ?" 

"  By  the  Federal  Colonel,  Truesdail." 

"And  why  were  you  sent  ?"  inquired  Bragg,  with  a 
ely  look  of  incredulity. 

"  Because  I  gave  warm  utterance  to  my  Southern 
feelings,  and  refused  to  take  their  oath  of  allegiance," 
replied  our  heroine,  pretending  to  shed  tears,  "  and  a 
pretty  way  I'm  pait"  for  it,  too  ' 


124    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

"  Why  wouldn't  you  take  the  oath  ?"  persisted  Bragg, 
apparently  untouched  by  her  youth  and  beauty  in  tears 

"  I  had  declared  that  I  wouldn't  take  it,  and  I  meant 
to  stick  to  my  word  !"  replied  Pauline,  stoutly. 

The  general  studied  the  expression  of  her  counte- 
nance for  a  moment,  and  then  continued. 

"  What  was  the  main  charge  that  the  Federals  made 
against  you  ?" 

"  I  had  publicly  dnmk  to  the  success  of  the  South 
and  our  Confederacy.  It  was  on  the  stage  of  the  Louis- 
ville theatre,  and  I  did  it  at  the  request  of  two  paroled 
Confederate  officers,  w^ho,  if  they  were  now  here,  would 
tell  you  the  same  thing,"  and  our  heroine  related  the 
whole  occurence  of  the  toast,  etc. 

"  Well,  what  happened  then  ?"  remarked  the  general. 

"  I  was  at  once  discharged  from  the  theatre,  and  went 
to  Nashville,  where  I  got  a  fresh  engagement,  only  to  be 
sent  away  in  turn ;  for  Colonel  Truesdail,  the  chief  of  the 
Federal  army  police,  getting  wind  of  my  Southern  sen- 
timents, and  hearing  of  my  drinking  the  toast  wishing 
success  to  the  South,  immediately  ordered  me  to  leave 
the  Federal  jurisdiction,  and  wouldn't  even  allow  me  to 
take  my  trunk  or  theatrical  wardrobe  with  me." 

The  perfect  coherence  of  her  story,  and  her  appa- 
rently calm  and  truthful  manner  was  not  without  it« 
effect  upon  the  general,  who  after  a  brief  pause,  during 
which  he  carefully  scrutinized  her,  resumed  in  a  more 
kindly  tone  : 

"  Miss  Cushman,  this  statement  of  yours  may  be  all 
correct,  but  still  I  should  like  to  have  you  give  some 
vooitive  proof  of  your  loyalty  to  our  cause ;  for,  as  it 
sti.nds,  I  must  say  it  appears,  at  best,  very  doubtful." 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    V25 

"  General,"  replied  Pauline,  pointedly,  "  I  have  been 
peized  and  brought  hither  to  meet  charges  laid  against 
me,  I  presume ;  but  assuredly  not  to  investigate  and  dc' 
cide  my  own  case.  You  cannot  be  expected  to  believe 
mi/  statement;  therefore,  all  I  can  say  is,  to  produce 
your  charges  and  the  evidence,  and  when  the  examina- 
tion is  over,  I  think  that  my  loyalty  to  the  South  will 
shine  with  as  bright  and  steady  a  lustre  as  does  your 
own.  After  that,  if  you  still  doubt  me,  or  if  one  sus- 
picion still  lingers  in  your  mind,  give  me  a  place  near 
you  in  battle,  and  you  will  see  that  Pauline  Cushman 
will  fight  as  bravely  and  faithfully  as  any  man  in  your 
army." 

Half  amused,  and  half  convinced  by  this  speech,  the 
old  soldier  continued  his  searching  examination,  striving 
in  every  way  to  entrap  and  confuse  her,  and  to  elicit 
from  her  all  the  information  which  he  could  concerning 
the  plans,  movements,  and  operations  of  the  Federal 
commanders.  She,  on  the  contrary,  assumed  an  inno- 
cent appearance  of  ignorance  on  these  points,  although 
careful  to  speak  the  truth  in  whatever  she  did  say.  It 
was  a  keen  contest  of  wit,  and  finally  the  general  ter- 
minated the  interview  by  saying,  "  As  for  yourself.  Miss 
Cushman,  I  have  to  tell  you  plainly,  that  there  are  very 
serious  charges  against  you,  and  I  must  give  you  into 
the  custody  of  our  provost-marshal-general.  Colonel 
McKinstry,  who  is,  however,  a  very  just  and  humane 
man,  and  who  will  treat  you  kindly.  Your  subsequent 
fate  will  depend  entirely  upon  the  result  of  our  inves- 
tigation." 

"  Colonel  McKinstry  is,  then,  precisely  the  man  I  de- 
sire to  see  ;  for  thro  igh  him  will  the  proofs  of  my  guilt- 


l'ZQ  narratiyes  of  fpies,  scouts,  and  detectives. 

lerfsness  of  the<5e  charges  appear,"  rejoined  Miss  Cush 
man,  boldly,  "  and  if  they  are  proved  false,  how  then, 
general  ?" 

"You  will  be  acquitted  with  honor,"  replied  he. 

"  How,  though,  if  I  am  found  guilty  ?" 

"You  know  the  penalty  inflicted  upon  convicted 
hpies.  If  found  guilty,  Tou  will  be  hanged,"  replied 
the  general,  dryly. 

Leaving  Bragg,  she  was  taken  before  Colonel  McKins- 
try  and  there  subjected  to  another  strict  examination, 
m  which  she  was  interrogated  concerning  the  manner  in 
which  she  became  possessed  of  the  Confederate  uniform 
found  among  her  effects  when  captured.  To  this  she 
answered  frankly,  although,  to  her  annoyance,  it  caused 
the  instant  issue  of  an  order  for  the  arrest  of  the  gallant 
captain  who  had  procured  it  for  her.  But,  finally,  the 
colonel  produced  from  his  desk  the  plans,  maps,  and  doc- 
uments which  she  had  abstracted  from  the  rebel  engi- 
neer's table  at  Columbus,  together  with  the  sketches  and 
memoranda  that  she  had  made,  of  various  fortifications 
at  TuUahoma,  Shelbyville,  Spring  Hill,  etc.  Staggered 
almost  to  faintness  by  the  sight  of  these  tell-tale  docu- 
ments which  she  had  placed  in  the  soles  of  her  gaiters, 
and  which  had  been  purloined  from  her  satchel,  left  in 
the  hurried  flight  from  Hillsboro,  she  yet  assumed  a  light 
demeanor  and  admitted  that  she  made  the  sketches. 
She  stoutly  asserted,  however,  with  a  laugh,  that  they 
were  mere  fancy  sketches,  "  gotten  up  with  the  idea  of 
stufiing  the  Yankees  when  she  should  find  herself  among 
them,  so  that  she  should  be  permitted  to  recover  her 
theatrical  wardrobe."  The  colonel,  although  surprised 
tt  her  consummate  and  audacious  acting,  was  too  old  a 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    127 

bird  to  be  caught  hi  that  way,  and  remanded  her  to 
custody.  She  was  taken  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Morgan, 
near  Duck  river,  where  she  was  carefully  guarded  in  a 
room  fitted  up  as  a  dungeon,  with  barred  windows  and 
doubl  V  fastened  doors.  Hers  was  now  a  truly  distressing 
and  apparently  hopeless  case.  Tinder  the  long  protracted 
suspense  as  to  her  ultimate  fate,  added  to  the  great 
privations  and  fatigues  which  she  had  previously  gone 
through,  she  fell  seriously  ill ;  and  the  discomforts  of 
her  situation — s\ck  and  helpless,  surrounded  by  foes  and 
strangers — can  hardly  be  described  by  tongue  or  pen. 
Long,  weary  days  she  lay  thus,  at  the  very  verge  of 
death — the  court-martial  which  had  been  appointed  to 
investigate  her  case  had  not  yet  been  able  to  agree  upon 
a  verdict,  and  imagination  added  its  horrors  to  the  dread 
reality  of  her  situation.  Ten  days  thus  passed,  with  the 
dread  of  death  in  its  most  ignominious  form,  hanging, 
like  the  sword  of  Damocles,  ever  above  her  head.  Finally, 
Captain  Pedden  brought  to  her  the  unwelcome  news 
which  he  tenderly  broke  to  her,  that  she  had  been  found 
Guilty  and  that  she  was  condemned  to  be  hanged  as  a 

SPY. 

The  situation  of  our  heroine,  mental  and  physical, 
was  now  deplorable  in  the  extreme.  Condemned  to 
death  upon  the  gallows,  surrounded  by  foes,  with  her 
fate  unknown,  even  to  her  friends,  hers  was  indeed  a 
position  to  shake  the  hearts  of  the  strongest  and  firmest. 
Yet  there  loas  a  small  ray  of  hope  that  illumined  the 
darkness  of  this  dismal  prospect,  and  that  was  that,  as 
she  was  still  confined  to  her  bed  by  the  deepest  physical 
prostration,  the  rebels  would  scar  ely  drag  her  from  there 
tc  tbf    gallows  ;  and  there  was   a  slujlit  chance  that. 


128    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

during  the  brief  respite  thus  afforded,  some  change  of 
the  military  situation  might  yet  afford  relief  to  her.  She 
well  knew  that  Shelby ville,  where  she  then  was,  was 
the  objective  point  of  the  Union  army  of  the  Southwest, 
and  they  might  reach  there  in  time  to  save  her  from  her 
horrid  fate.  Yet  the  chances  which  were  thus  suggested, 
were  too  slight  to  encourage  our  heroiiie,  who  had  made 
up  her  mind  heroically  to  meet  her  fate;  and  she  met 
her  fearful  situation  with  an  angelic  courage  and  sweet- 
ness which  won  the  love  of  the  few  friends  whom  she 
had  drawn  to  her  during  her  imprisonment. 

Slowly  and  surely  the  Union  army  advanced  on  ita 
glorious  career,  and  soon  Miss  Cushman's  guards  and  the 
Confederate  army  generally,  began  to  show  evident 
signs  of  evacuating  Shelbyville.  Finally  it  was  decided 
by  a  council  of  war  to  retreat,  and  what  a  thrill  of  mingled 
hope  and  joy  ran  through  Miss  Cushman's  veins  as  her 
friends  announced  to  her  that  she  would  have  to  be  left 
behind,  as  she  was  too  weak  to  be  moved.  Before  leav- 
ing the  town,  however,  she  was  removed  to  a  more  com- 
fortable house,  and  left  in  the  hands  of  an  excellent 
physician,  who  was  Union  at  heart.  At  length  it  waa 
rumoied  that  a  large  body  of  Federals  was  just  outside 
the  town :  then  followed  the  battle  of  Shelbyville,  and 
ere  long  the  streets  of  that  town  echoed  to  the  tread  of 
the  Union  army  and  the  peal  of  its  bugles.  It  was  a 
moment  of  supremest  joy  and  ecstacy  to  the  wan  and 
feeble  girl,  who  felt  new  life  surging  through  every  vein, 
and  springing  from  her  bed,  she  staggered  to  the  oper 
window,  despite  the  remonstrances  of  her  kind  hostess 
As  the  blessed  certainty  came  upon  her,  that  the  Union 
&ag  oncf  more  waved  ov6  r  the  town,  and  that  she  wag 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    129 

hnfe.  tlie  fictitious  strengtli  which  excitement  had  lent  her 
gave  way  to  weakness,  and  she  sank  to  the  floor,  over- 
come by  joy  and  happiness.  Ere  the  close  of  that  happy 
day,  Generals  Granger  and  Mitchell  called  upon  her  and 
expressed  the  liveliest  interest  in  her  situation  ;  the 
brave  soldiers  heard  of  the  noble  woman  whom  they  had 
thus  opportunely  saved  from  a  terrible  death,  and,  on 
every  hand,  she  received  the  most  tender  and  convincing 
tokens  of  the  general  esteem  in  which  she  was  held. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  next  morning,  in  the  general's 
own  ambulance,  well  stocked  with  all  the  comforts  and 
necessaries  which  the  generosity  and  courtesy  of  her  new 
friends  could  suggest,  she  left  Shelbyville  en  route  to 
Murfreesboro.  There  a  day  and  a  night's  rest  enabled 
her  to  take  the  cars  to  Nashville ;  and  under  the  care 
of  an  officer  of  General  Granger's  staff,  who  had  himself 
done  her  the  honor  of  attending  her  thus  far,  she  began 
her  return  journey  to  that  city.  On  her  arrival  thero, 
she  was  waited  upon  by  the  most  distinguished  generals 
of  the  army,  and  by  others  less  prominent — all  of  whom, 
however,  were  united  in  treating  her  with  a  delicate  and 
even  affectionate  courtesy,  which  left  her  no  comfort  to 
be  desired  but  the  boon  of  absolute  health.  As  a  deserved 
and  appropriate  acknowledgment  of  the  great  services 
which  this  brave  girl  had  rendered  the  Union  cause,  she 
was,  through  the  efforts  of  Generals  Granger  and  Gar- 
field, honored  with  the  commission  and  rank  of  a  major 
of  cavalry,  with  full  and  special  permission  to  wear  the 
equipment  and  insignia  of  her  new  rank.  The  ^.adies  of 
Nashville,  hearing  of  her  promotion,  and  deeply  sensible 
of  the  honor  thus  conferred  upon  one  of  their  own  sex, 
prepared  a  costly  riding-habit,  trimmed  in  military  style, 


J^O   NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIYES. 

with  dainty  shoulder-straps,  and  presented  the  dress  to 
the  gallant  major  with  all  the  customary  honors. 


Amusing  Instance  of  Rebel  Desertion. — After  the 
recent  advance  of  our  army  upon  Bragg  at  TuUahoma, 
and  his  retreat,  the  Pioneer  Brigade  pushed  on  to  Elk 
river  to  repair  a  bridge.  While  one  of  its  men,  a  private, 
was  bathing  in  the  river,  five  of  Bragg's  soldiers,  guns 
in  hand,  came  to  the  Ijank  and  took  aim  at  the  swimmer, 
one  of  them  shouting : 

"Come  in  here,  you Yank,  out  of  the  wet!" 

The  Federal  was  quite  sure  that  he  was  "  done  for," 
and  at  once  obeyed  the  order.  After  dressing  himself, 
he  was  thus  accosted  : 

"  You  surrender,  our  prisoner,  do  you  ?" 

"  Yes ;  of  course  I  do." 

'*  That's  kind.  Now  we'll  surrender  to  you !"  And 
khe  five  stacked  arms  before  him,  their  spokesman 
adding — 

*'  We've  done  with  'em,  and  have  said  to  old  Bragg, 
*  good-by !'  Secesh  is  played  out.  Now  you  surround 
us  and  take  us  into  your  camp." 

This  was  done  accordingly,  and  is  but  one  of  hundreds 
of  instances  of  wholesale  desertion  coming  to  the  know- 
ledge of  our  officers  during  two  months— -July  and 
August — in  Lower  Tennessee. 


NARRATIVES   OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETfcAmVES.    181 

KELLER  OR  KILLDARE, 

ONK  Of  THE  SCOUTS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  OUMBX.Ba«aI<D. 

Keller,  or  as  he  was  usually  called  in  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland,  Killdare,  was  of  German,  and  per 
haps  Jewish  extraction,  and  during  the  first  eighteeii 
months  of  the  war  had  been  concerned  with  Besthoff,  and 
three  Jews  by  the  names  of  Friedenburg,  in  smuggling 
goods  into  rebeldom,  but  being  arrested  in  connection 
with  them,  it  appeared  that  he  had  not  been  as  guilty  as 
the  others,  and  that  what  he  had  done  had  been  rather 
to  support  his  family  than  from  a  desire  to  aid  the 
rebels.  He  was  therefore  released,  and  -being  offered  an 
appointment  as  scout  in  the  Union  service,  he  accepted 
it  and  was  of  great  service  to  the  Union  cause. 

In  March  1863,  he  left  Nashville  on  horseback,  with 
a  small  stock  of  goods,  not  exceeding  one  hundred  dol- 
lars in  value,  with  the  intention  of  making  his  way  int<i 
and  through  a  certain  portion  of  the  Confederacy. 
Swimming  his  horse  across  Harpeth  creek,  and  crossing 
with  his  goods  in  a  canoe,  he  journeyed  on,  and  passed 
the  night  at  a  house  about  six  miles  beyond  Columbia, 
having  previously  fallen  in  with  some  of  Forrest's  men 
going  to  Columbia.  The  next  morning  he  started  for 
Shelbyville,  where  he  arrived  in  due  season.  The  oc- 
currences there  and  in  the  subsequent  portions  of  the 
trip  are  best  related  in  his  own  words : 

"  When  I  arrived,  I  could  find  stabling  but  no  feed 
for  my  horse.  I  put  the  animal  in  the  kitchen  of  a 
house,  and  gave  a  boy  five  dollars  to  get  me  a  half 
bushel  of  corn,  there  being  none  in   th^  town.     I  sold 


132    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

the  little  stock  of  goods  to  the  firm  of  James  Carr  &  Co., 
of  Nashville,  who  gave  me  eight  hundred  dollars  for 
the  lot,  and  then  wen:  to  visit  General  Frank  Cheatham, 
General  Manej,  and  General  Bates,  whom  I  saw  at  the 
house  where  T  stopped.     At  the  headquarters  of  General 

Cheatham,  Colonel  A arrived  from   the  front,  a%,  -^ 

stated  in  my  presence  that  the  whole  Federal  line  had 
fallen  back;  and  I  Turther  understood  from  the  generals 

present  and  Colonel  A that  there  would  be  no  fight 

at  Shelbyville.  They  said  that  probably  there  would 
be  some  skirmishing  by  the  Federals,  but  that  the  battle 
would  be  fought  at  Tullahoma,  and  they  had  not  more 
than  one  corps  at  Shelbyville,  which  was  under  General 
Polk. 

^'  Forage  and  provisions  for  man  and  beast  it  is  utterly 
impossible  to  obtain  in  the  vicinity  of  Shelbyville.  The 
forage  trains  go  as  far  as  Lewisport,  in  Giles  county, 
and  the  forage  is  then  shipped  to  Tullahoma,  and  even 
farther  back,  for  safe  keeping — as  far  as  Bridgeport. 
Confederate  money  is  two  for  one  of  Georgia;  Tennes- 
see, two  and  one  half  for  one. 

''  I  next  went  to  Tullahoma ;  and  there  I  met  on  the 
cars  a  major  on  Bragg's  staflf,  and  scraped  an  acquaintr 
ance  through  the  introduction  of  a  Nashville  gentleman. 
When  we  arrived  within  a  few  miles  of  Tullahoma,  he 
made  a  short  statement  to  me,  called  me  to  the  plat- 
form, and  pointed  out  the  rifle-pits  and  breastworks, 
which  extended  on  each  side  of  the  railroad  about  a 
mile,  in  not  quite  a  right  angle.  The  whole  force  of 
Bragg's  army  is  composed  of  fifty-five  thousand  men, 
well  disciplined;  twenty  thousand  of  them  are  cavalry. 
When  I  left  Tullahoma,  I  could  not  buy  meat  nor  bread. 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    138 

When  I  arrived  at  Chattanooga,  I  gave  a  nigger  oii« 
dollar  for  a  drink  of  whiskey,  one  dollar  for  a  small 
cake,  and  fifty  cents  for  two  eggs,  which  I  took  for  eulv 
gistence,  and  started  for  Atlanta.  I  met,  going  thither- 
ward, a  good  many  acquaintances  on  the  trains.  When 
T  arrived  at  Atlanta,  I  found  a  perfect  panic  in 
money  matters.  Georgia  money  was  at  seventy-five 
cents  premium,  and  going  up ;  gold,  four  and  five  dollars 
for  one.  I  remained  at  Atlanta  three  days.  Full  one 
half  of  those  I  met  were  from  Nashville ;  they  were 
glad  to  see  me. 

"  I  commenced  my  return  to  TuUahoma  with  a  cap- 
tain from  Nashville,  who  also  showed  me  the  rifle-pits, 
as  I  before  stated.  I  made  my  way  on  to  Shelbyville, 
and  then  I  got  a  pass  from  the  provost-marshal — a 
Major  Hawkins — to  Columbia,  where  I  arrived  on  Sun- 
day morning.  There  I  found  Forrest  and  his  command 
had  crossed  Duck  river  on  their  way  to  Franklin.  As 
I  started  from  the  Nelson  hotel  to  the  provost-marshal's 
office,  I  was  arrested  on  the  square  as  a  straggling 
soldier ;  but  I  proved  myself  the  contrary,  and  started 
without  a  pass  to  Williamsport.  There  some  fool  asked 
me  if  I  had  a  pass.  I  told  him  '  yes,'  and  showed  him 
the  pass  I  had  from  Shelbyville  to  Columbia  and  the 
documents  I  had  in  my  possession,  which  he  could  not 
read.  I  gave  the  ferryman  a  five  dollar  piece  to  take 
me  across  the  river,  and  he  vouched  for  my  pass — when 
I  safely  arrived  at  the  Federal  pickets." 

About  a  month  after  this,  Killdare  made  another,  and 
his  last  trip,  the  full  report  of  which  is  subjoined.  It 
will  be  seen  that  he  was  watched  and  several  times 
arrested.     Though  he  finally  escaped,  hisj  usefuhiess  as 


134    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

a  spy  was  totally  destroyed,  his  name,  appearance,  an*i 
business  having  been  betrayed  to  the  enemy.  He  haa 
consequently  retired  from  the  business.  On  his  return, 
he  made  the  following  report : 

"  I  left  the  city  of  Nashville  on  Tuesday,  the  14th 
instant,  to  go  South,  taking  with  me  a  few  goods  to  ped- 
dle. I  passed  down  the  Charlotte  pike,  and  travelled 
two  miles  up  the  Richland  creek,  then  crossed  over  to 
the  Hardin  pike,  following  that  road  to  Harpeth  creek, 
and  crossed  below  De  Morse's  mill.     At  the  mill  I  met 

De  Morse,  who  said  to  me,  'Killdare,  do  you  make 

another  trip?'  I  replied,  'I  do  not  know.'  Dg  Morse 
then  said,  '  if  you  get  below  the  meeting-house  you  are 
saved,'  and  smiled.  I  proceeded  on  my  way  until  I 
came  to  a  blacksmith  shop  on  the  pike,  at  which  a  gen- 
tleman by  the  name  of  Marlin  came  out  and  asked  if  I 
had  heard  any  thing  of  Sanford  being  killed  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  13th  instant.  I  told  Marlin  I  did  not  know 
any  thing  about  it,  and  proceeded  on  to  South  Harper 
to  Squire  Allison's,  which  is  seventeen  miles  from  Nash- 
ville. I  then  fed  my  mules,  stopped  about  one  hour, 
and  proceeded  across  South  Harper  toward  Williamsport. 

"  About  one  mile  the  other  side  of  South  Harper,  two 
rebel  scouts  came  galloping  up,  and  asked  me  what  I  had 
for  sale.  I  told  them  needles,  pins,  and  playing-cards. 
They  then  inquired,  'have  you  any  papers  to  go  South?' 
I  replied  1  had,  and  showed  them  some  recommenda- 
tions. They  asked  me  to  get  down  from  my  carryall, 
as  they  wanted  to  talk  with  me.  This  I  did ;  and  they 
then  asked : 

"  *  Have  you  any  pistols  ?' 

"■ '  No,'  I  replied. 

''  Stepping  back  a  few  paces,   and  each  drawing  a 

pistol,  one  of  them  said,  '  you scoundrel,  you  are 

our  prisoner;  you  are  a  Yankee  spy,  and  you  carry  let- 
ters from  the  South,  and  at  the  dead  hour  of  night 
you  carry  these  letters  to  Truesdail's  office.  We  lost  a 
very  valuable  man  on  Monday  while  attempting  to  ar- 


NARRATIYES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    135 

>isi  you  at  your  house ;  his  name  was  Sanford,  and  he 
ivas  a  great  deal  thought  of  by  General  Van  Dorn.     So 

aow  we've  got  you, you,  turn  your  Avagon  round 

and  go  back.' 

''  We  turned  and  went  to  Squire  Allison's  again,  at 
which  place  I  met  Dr.  Morton,  from  Nashville,  whom  I 
requested  to  assist  in  getting  me  released.  Dr.  Morton 
spoke  to  the  men,  who,  in  reply,  said,  '  we  have  orders 
to  arrest  him  as  a  spy,  for  carrying  letters  to  Truesdail's 
headquarters.'  They  then  turned  back  to  South  Har- 
per creek,  and  took  me  up  the  creek  about  one  mile, 
where  we  met  about  eight  more  of  these  scouts  and  Col 
onel  McNairy,  of  Nashville,  who  was  riding  along  in  a 
buggy.  The  lieuteiiant  in  command  of  the  squad  wrote 
a  despatch  to  Van  Dorn,  and  gave  it  to  one  of  the  men, 
by  the  name  of  Thompson,  who  had  me  in  custody, 
and  we  then  proceeded  up  the  creek  to  Spring  Hill, 
toward  the  headquarters  of  General  Van  Dorn.  About 
six  miles  up  the  creek,  Thompson  learned  I  had  some 
whiskey,  which  I  gave  him,  and  of  which  he  drank  un- 
til he  got  pretty  well  intoxicated.  In  the  neighborhood 
of  Ivy  we  stopped  until  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
About  one  mile  from  Ivy  the  wheel  of  my  carryall  broke. 
A  neighbor  came  to  us  with  an  axe  and  put  a  pole  un- 
der the  axletree,  and  we  proceeded  on  our  way.  We 
had  gone  but  a  few  hundred  yards  when  the  wagon 
turned  over ;  we  righted  it,  and  Thompson  took  a  car- 
pet-sack full  of  goods,  filled  his  pockets,  and  then  told 
me  '  to  go  to :  he  would  not  take  me  to  headquar- 
ters.' Changing  his  mind,  however,  he  said  he  would, 
as  he  had  orders  so  to  do,  and  showed  me  the  despatch 
written  by  Lieutenant  Johnston  to  General  Van  Dorn. 
It  read  as  follows  : 

"  'I  have  succeeded  in  capturing  Mr.  Killdare. 
Archy  Cheatham,  of  Nashville,  says  Killdare  is  not 
loyal  to  the  Confederacy.  The  Federals  have  mounted 
five  hundred  light  infantry.  Sanford's  being  killed  \» 
confirmed.  (Signed) 

*'  *  T^uT.  Johnston.' 


i36    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

^*  Thompson,  being  very  drunk,  left  me,  taking  the 
goods  he  stole.  Two  citizens  came  up  shortly  and  told 
me  to  turn  round,  and  stop  all  night  at  Isaac  Ivy's,  1st 
District,  Williamson  county.  There  we  took  the  re- 
mainder of  the  goods  into  the  house.  At  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  a  negro  woman  came  and  knocked  at  the 
door. 
.    "  Mr.  Ivy  says,  *  what  do  you  want  ?' 

"  'A  soldier  is  down  at  the  creek,  and  wants  to  know 
where  his  prisoner  is,'  was  the  reply. 

"  '  What  has  he  done  with  the  goods  he  took  from 
that  man  ?' 

"  *  He  has  left  them  at  our  house,  and  has  just  started 
up  the  creek  as  I  came  up.' 

"  '  That  will  do.     Go  on.' 

"  I  was  awake,  and  tried  to  make  my  escape,  asking 
Mr.  Ivy  if  he  had  a  couple  of  saddles  to  loan  me.  He 
said  he  had ;  and  I  borrowed  from  him  seven  dollars,  as 
Thompson  took  all  my  money  (fifty  dollars  in  Georgia 
currency.)  He  (Ivy)  then  told  me  the  route  I  should 
take — going  a  few  miles  toward  Franklin,  and  then  turn 
toward  my  home  in  Nashville.  Taking  Ivy's  advice, 
we  proceeded  on  our  way  toward  Franklin.  About 
eight  miles  from  Franklin,  four  guerillas  came  up  to  me 
and  fired  two  pistols.  '  Halt !'  said  they ;  '  you  want  to 
make  your  way  to  the  Yankees.  We  have  a  notion 
to  kill  you,  any  way.' 

"  They  then  ordered  me  to  turn,  which  I  did, — 
two  going  behind  whipping -the  mules,  and  hooting 
and  hallooing  at  a  great  rate.  We  then  turned  back 
to  Ivy's.     When  we  got  there,  I  said  : 

"  Where  is  Thompson,  my  guard,  who  told  me  to 
go  on  ?' 

"*He  was  here  early  this  morning,  and  has  gone 
up  the  hill  hunting  you,  after  borrowing  my  shot  gun,' 
was  the  answer. 

"  Some  conversation  ensued  between  the  parties, 
when  Ivy  wrote  a  note  to  General  Van  Dorn  and  gave 
it  to  Thompson.  Ivy  then  gave  us  our  equipage,  and 
we  went  toward  Spring  Hill      On  th<^  way  we  met,  on 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    137 

Carter's  Creek  pike,  a  camp  of  four  hundred  Texan 
rangers.  We  arrived  at  Spring  Hill  at  sundown  o**  the 
day  following.  At  Van  Dorn's  headquarters  I  asked  for 
an  interview  with  the  general,  which  was  not  allowed, 
but  was  ordered  to  Columbia  to  prison  until  further 
orders. 

"On  Friday  evening,  a  Nashville  soldier  who  stood 
sentinel  let  me  out,  and  said :  'you  have  no  business 
here.'  I  made  ray  way  toward  Shelbyville ;  crossed  over 
Duck  creek ;  made  my  way  to  the  Louisburg  and  Frank- 
lin pike,  and  started  toward  Franklin.  Before  Ave  got 
to  the  pickets  we  took  to  the  woods,  and  thus  got  round 
the  pickets.  A  farmer  reported  having  seen  me  to 
the  guard,  and  I  was  taken  again  toward  Van  Dorn's 
headquarters,  six  miles  distant.  I  had  gone  about  one 
mile,  when  I  fell  in  with  Colonel  Lewis's  command,  and 
was  turned  over  to  an  orderly  sergeant  with  whom  I  was 
acquainted  and  by  whom  I  was  taken  to  the  headquar- 
ters of  Colonel  Lewis.  There  I  was  discharged  from  ar- 
rest, and  was  told  by  the  colonel  what  route  I  should 
take  in  order  to  avoid  the  scouts.  I  then  started 
toward  Columbia,  and  thence  toward  Hillsboro.  At 
Hillsboro  I  met  a  friend  by  the  name  of  Parkham,  who 
guided  me  within  five  miles  of  Franklin,  where  I  ar 
rived  at  daylight  this  morning.  On  Friday  last  Col 
onel  Forrest  passed  through  Columbia  with  his  force 
(three  thousand  strong),  and  six  pieces  of  artillery,  to 
Decatur,  Alabama.  One  regiment  went  to  Florence. 
The  whole  force  under  Van  Dorn  at  Spring  Hill  does 
not  exceed  four  thousand ;  and  they  are  poorly  clothed. 
I  understand  that  the  force  was  moving  toward  Ten- 
nessee river,  in  order  to  intercept  forces  that  were  be- 
ing  ient  out  by  General  Grant. 

"Sam.  Killdare." 

This  Archy  Cheatham,  who  it  appears  had  informed 
upon  Killdare,  was  a  government  contractor,  and  pro 
fessed  to  be  loyal.  The  manner  in  which  he  obtained 
T>\s  information  was  in  this  wise. 


138    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

One  day  a  genteel,  well-dressed  young  man  came  to 
the  ^lice  office  and  inquired  for  Judge  Brien,  an  en*- 
ployee  of  the  office.  The  two,  it  seems,  were  old  ac- 
quaintances, and  for  some  time  maintained  a  friendly 
conversation  in  the  presence  of  Colonel  Truesdail.  The 
visitor,  whose  name  was  Stewart,  having  taken  hia 
leave,  Brien  remarked  to  the  Colonel : 

"  There  is  a  young  man  who  can  do  us  a  great  deal 
of  good." 

"  Do  you  know  him?"  said  the  colonel. 

"Very  well.     He  talks  right." 

The  result  was  that  Stewart  and  Colonel  Truesdail 
soon  afterward  had  a  private  conversation  in  reference 
to  the  matter.  Stewart  stated  that  he  lived  about 
two  miles  from  the  city  upon  his  plantation,  that  he 
was  intimate  with  many  prominent  secessionists,  waa 
regarded  as  a  good  Southern  man,  and  could  go  any- 
where within  the  lines  of  the  Confederacy.  The  col- 
onel replied  that  he  was  in  want  of  just  such  a  man, 
and  that  he  could  be  the  means  of  accomplishing  great 
good.  It  was  an  office,  however,  of  vast  responsibility, 
and,  if  he  should  be  employed,  he  would  be  required 
to  take  a  very  stringent  and  solemn  oath,  which  was 
read  to  him.  To  all  this  Stewart  assented,  and  took 
the  oath,  only  stipulating  that  he  should  never  be 
mentioned  as  having  any  connection  with  the  pohce 
office.  He  was  consequently  employed,  and  told  to  go 
to  work  at  once. 

For  a  time  all  seemed  well  enough.  One  or  two  minor 
cases  of  smuggling  were  developed  by  him.  He  subse- 
quently reported  that  he  had  become  acquainted  with 
the  cashier  of  the  Planteis'  Bank,  and  a  Mrs.  Bradford, 


NARRATIVES  OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES.    139 

who  lived  five  miles  from  the  city,  and  made  herself 
very  busy  in  carrying  letters,  in  which  she  was  aided 
by  Cantrell,  the  cashier.  He  was  also  in  the  habit  of 
meeting  large  numbers  of  secessionists,  among  whom  was 
Archy  Cheatham.  He  also  was  a  member  of  a  club  or 
association  which  met  every  Saturday,  to  devise  ways 
and  means  for  aiding  the  rebellion,  and  at  which  Mrs. 
Bradford  and  Cantrell  were  constant  attendants.  One 
day  he  reported  that  Mrs.  Bradford  was  just  going  to  carry 
out  what  was  ostensibly  a  barrel  of  flour,  but  really  a 
barrel  of  contraband  goods  covered  over  with  flour  at 
each  end.  And  so  it  went  on  from  week  to  week. 
Somebody  was  just  going  to  do  something,  but  never  did 
it,  or  was  never  detected ;  and,  despite  the  many  fair 
promises  of  Stewart,  the  results  of  his  labors  were  not 
deemed  satisfactory. 

On  the  night  that  Killdare  came  in  from  his  last  trip, 
Stewart  was  at  the  office.  Something  was  evidently 
wrong,  and  Stewart  soon  left.  To  some  natural  inquirieft 
of  the  colonel,  Killdare  answered,  excitedly  : 

"  Somebody  has  nearly  ruined  me,  colonel!" 

'*  How  is  that,  and  who  can  it  be  ?" 

"  Well,  I  am  sure  that  it  is  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Stewart  and  Archy  Cheatham  who  have  done  the  mis- 
chief. Cheatham  has  been  out  in  the  country  some 
fourteen  miles,  and  there  he  met  Lieutenant  Johnston, 
whom  he  told  that  I  was  disloyal  to  the  Confederacy, 
and  one  of  your  spies.  The  result  was  that  I  was 
arrested,  and  came  near — alto";ether  too  near  hanffinu 
for  comfort.  Johnson  telegraphed  to  Van  Dom  that  he 
had    caught  me,  but  I  got  away ;  and  to  make  a  long 


140    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

Btorj  short,  I  have  been  arrested  and  have  escaped  three 
times." 

This  oiDened  the  colonel's  eyes  somewhat,  and  inqui- 
ries were  at  once  set  on  foot,  which  disclosed  the  fact 
that  Stewart  was  a  rebel  of  the  deejiest  dye,  and  had 
been  "  playing  off"  all  the  time.  It  was  found  that  he 
had  not  only  informed  Cheatham  of  Killdare's  business 
and  position,  but  had  himself  been  out  in  the  country 
some  fourteen  miles,  and  had  told  the  neighbors  that 
Killdare  had  gone  south  in  Truesdail's  employ.  He  told 
the  same  thing  to  two  guerillas  whom  he  met,  and  even 
taunted  Killdare's  children  by  saying  that  he  knew 
where  their  father  had  gone.  The  colonel,  for  once,  had 
been  thoroughly  deceived  by  appearances ;  but  it  was 
the  first  and  last  time.  After  a  month  or  six  weeks' 
search,  Stewart  was  found  and  committed  to  the  peniten- 
tiary; and  before  he  leaves  that  institution  it  is  by  no 
means  improbable  that  he  will  have  ample  time  and 
opportunity  to  conclude  that  his  operations,  though 
sharp  and  skilful,  were  not  of  the  most  profitable 
character. 


A  Fighting  Parson. — Colonel  Granville  Moody,  of 
the  Seventy-fourth  Ohio,  is  a  famous  Methodist  preacher 
from  Cincinnati.  He  is  something  over  fifty,  six  feet  and 
two  or  three  inches,  of  imposing  presence,  with  a  fine, 
genial  face  and  prodigious  vocal  range.  The  reverend 
colonel,  who  proved  himself  a  fighting  parson  of  the  first 
water,  was  hit  four  times  at  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro, 
and  will  carry  the  marks  of  battle  when  he  goes  back  to 
the  altar.     His  benevolence  justifies  his  military  flock 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS.    AND    DETECTIVES.    141 

in  the  indulgence  of  sly  humor  at  his  expense ;  but  he 
never  permits  them  to  disturb  his  equanimity.  Several 
battle  anecdotes  of  him  arc  well  authenticated.  Not  long 
agO;  General  Negley  merrily  accused  him  of  using 
heterodox  expletives  in  the  ardor  of  conflict. 

"  Is  it  a  f\ict,  colonel,"  inquired  the  general,  '*  that 
you  told  the  boys  to  '  give  'em  hell'  ?" 

^*  How  ?"  replied  the  colonel,  reproachfully  :  *'  that's 
Bome  more  of  the  boys'  mischief.  I  told  them  to  give 
the  rebels  '  Hail  Columbia ;'  and  they  have  perverted  my 
language." 

The  parson,  however,  had  a  sly  twinkle  in  the  corner 
of  his  eye,  which  left  his  hearers  in  considerable  doubt. 

Our  Western  circuit  preachers  are  known  as  stentors. 
Where  others  are  emphatic,  they  roar  in  the  fervor  of 
exhortation,  especially  when  they,  come  in  with  their 
huge  "Amen."  This  fact  must  be  bome  in  mind  to 
appreciate  the  story.  The  colonel's  mind  was  saturated 
with  piety  and  fight.  He  had  already  had  one  bout 
with  the  rebels,  and  given  them  "  Hail  Columbia.'* 
They  were  renewing  the  attack.  The  colonel  braced 
himself  for  the  shock.  Seeing  his  line  in  fine  order,  he 
thought  he  would  exhort  them  briefly.  The  rebels  were 
coming  swiftly.  Glancing  first  at  the  foe,  then  at  the  lads, 
he  said,  quietly,  "  Now,  my  boys,  fight  for  your  country 
and  your  God,"  and,  raising  his  voice  to  thunder-tones, 
he  exclaimed,  in  the  same  breath,  "  Aim  low  !"  Says 
one  of  his  gallant  fellows,  "  I  thought  for  an  instant  it 
was  a  frenzied  ejaculation  from  the  profoundest  depths 
of  the  *  Amen  corner.'  "  Any  day  now  you  may  hear 
the  lads  of  bhe  Seventy-fourth  roaring,  "  Fight  for  your 
country  and  your  God — aim  low !" 


i42    NARRATIYES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 


A  DARING  SCOUT  AND  SPY. 

Among  the  Union  men  and  officers  in  our  annies, 
none  have  been  more  earnest  in  their  patriotism,  or 
more  ready  to  do  and  dare  every  thing  for  the  Union 
cause,  than  some  of  the  citizens  and  natives  of  Southern 
States.  To  be  a  Union  man  in  the  Southern  Atlantic 
or  Gulf  States,  meant,  unless  the  man's  social  position 
was  of  the  very  highest,  to  be  a  martyr ;  to  be  robbed, 
persecuted,  stripped  of  all  the  comforts  of  life,  deprived 
of  a  home,  and  often  to  be  conscripted,  imprisoned,  shot, 
hung,  or  to  suffer  a  thousand  deaths  in  the  tortures  and 
indignities  inflicted  on  his  helpless  family.  Yet,  with 
all  this  before  them,  many  Southern  men  dared  to  be 
true  to  their  allegiance  to  the  National  Government,  and 
to  enter  its  service.  As  was  to  be  expected,  these  men 
proved  the  most  serviceable  and  fearless  of  the  Union 
scouts  and  spies.  Their  familiarity  with  the  country 
was  of  great  service  to  them,  and  the  remembrance  of 
the  wrongs  they  had  endured  fired  them  with  an  energy 
and  zeal,  and  a  desire  to  punish  the  foe,  which  rendered 
them  invaluable.  Among  the  men  of  this  class  who 
have  rendered  most  efficient  service  to  the  national 
cause,  was  a  young  Georgian,  born  of  Scotch  parents, 
near  Augusta,  Georgia,  in  the  year  1832.  His  real 
name  was  concealed,  in  consequence  of  the  peril  which 
would  have  accrued  to  his  relatives,  had  it  been  known ; 
but  he  was  known  to  some  extent  in  the  Union  anny  as 
John  Morford.  A  blacksmith  by  trade,  he  early  engaged 
in  railrDad  w^ork,  and  at  the  opening  of  the  war  was 
master  mechanic  upon  one  of  the   Southern  railroads. 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    143 

He  wa«  a  decided  Union  man,  and  made  no  secret  of  his 
opinions,  and  was  in  consequence  discharged  from  his 
situation,  and  not  allowed  employment  upon  any  other 
railroad.  Morgan's  cavalry  was  also  sent  to  his  farm, 
and  stripped  it;  and  when  he  applied  to  the  guerilla 
leader  for  pay  for  the  property  thus  taken,  he  was  told 
he  should  have  it  if  he  would  only  prove  his  loyalty  to 
the  South.  As  he  would  not  do  this,  Morgan  cursed 
and  abused  him,  threatened  to  have  him  shot,  and  iinally 
sent  him  under  arrest  to  one  Major  Peyton.  The  major 
endeavored,  but  without  any  success,  to  convince  him 
that  the  cause  of  the  South  was  right;  but  Morford 
proving  firm  to  his  Union  sentiments,  he  began  to 
threaten  him,  declaring  that  he  should  be  hung  within 
t\vo  weeks.  Morford  coolly  replied  that  he  was  sorry 
for  that,  as  he  should  have  preferred  to  live  a  little 
longer,  but  if  it  must  be  so,  he  couldn't  help  it.  Find- 
ing him  uiiterrified,  Peyton  cooled  down,  and  finally 
told  him  that  if  he  would  give  a  bond  of  one  thousand 
dollars,  as  security  for  his  good  behavior,  and  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Southern  Confederacy,  he  would 
release  him  and  protect  his  property.  After  some  hesi- 
tation— no  other  plan  of  escape  occurring  to  him — Mor- 
ford assented,  and  took  the  required  oath,  upon  the  back 
of  which  Peyton  wrote,  "  If  you  violate  this,  I  will  hang 
you." 

"With  this  safeguard,  Morfoid  returned  to  his  farm  and 
lived  a  quiet  life.  Buying  a  span  of  horses,  he  devoted 
himself  to  the  cultivation  of  his  land,  seeing  as  few  per- 
sons as  he  could,  and  talking  with  none.  His  house  had 
previously  been  the  headquarters  of  the  Union  men,  but 
was  now  deserted  by  them ;  and  its  owner  endeavored 


144    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   D^fECTIVES. 

tx)  live  up  to  the  letter  of  the  obligation  he  had  taken. 
For  a  short  time  all  went  well  enough ;  but  one  day  a 
Bquad  of  cavalry  came  with  a  special  wriicen  order  from 
Major  Peyton  to  take  his  two  horses,  which  they  did. 
This  was  too  much  for  human  nature;  and  Morford, 
perceiving  that  no  faith  could  be  placed  in  the  assur- 
ances  of  those  in  command,  determined  to  be  revenged 
upon  them  and  their  cause.  His  house  again  became  a 
secret  rendezvous  for  Unionists ;  and  by  trusty  agents 
he  managed  to  send  regular  and  valuable  information  to 
General  Buell — then  in  command  in  Tennessee.  At 
length,  however,  in  May,  1862,  he  was  betrayed  by  one 
in  whom  he  had  placed  confidence,  and  arrested  upon 
the  charge  of  sending  information  to  General  Crittenden, 
at  Battle  Creek.  He  indignantly  deiiied  the  charge, 
and  declared  that  he  could  easily  prove  himself  inno- 
cent if  released  for  that  purpose.  After  three  days'  con- 
finement, this  was  assented  to ;  and  Morford,  knowing 
full  well  that  he  could  not  do  what  he  had  promised, 
made  a  hasty  retreat  and  fled  to  the  mountains,  whence, 
some  days  afterward,  he  emerged,  and  went  to  McMinn- 
ville,  at  which  place  General  Nelson  was  then  in  com- 
mand. 

Here  he  remained  until  the  rebel  force  left  that 
vicinity,  when  he  again  went  home,  and  lived  undis- 
turbed upon  his  farm  until  Bragg  returned  with  his 
army.  The  presence  in  the  neighborhood  of  so  many 
officers  cognizant  of  his  former  arrest  and  escape  ren- 
dered flight  a  second  time  necessary.  He  now  went  to 
the  camp  of  General  Donelson,  with  whom  he  had  some 
acquaintance,  and  soon  became  very  friendly  there — 
%cting  the  while  in  the  double  capacity  of  beef  contractor 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.     Li 5 

for  the  rebel  army,  and  spy  for  General  Crittenden. 
Leaving  Genera,l  Donelscn  after  some  months'  stay, 
altliough  earnestly  requested  to  remain  longer,  Morford 
next  found  his  way  to  Nashville,  where  he  made  numer- 
ous expeditions  as  a  spy  for  General  Negley.  Buell  was 
at  Louisville,  and  Nashville  was  then  the  Federal  out- 
post. Morford  travelled  about  very  readily  upon  passes 
given  him  by  General  Donelson,  making  several  trips  to 
Murfreesboro,  and  one  to  Cumberland  Gap. 

Ui>on  his  return  from  the  latter,  he  was  arrested  near 
Lebanon,  Tennessee,  about  one  o'clock  at  night,  by  a 
party  of  four  soldiers  upon  picket  duty  at  that  point 
Halting  him,  the  following  conversation  occurred : 
"  Where  do  you  live  ?" 

"  Near  Stewart's  Ferry,  between  here  and  Nashville.** 
"  Where  have  you  been,  and  what  for?" 
"  Up  to  see  my  brother,  to  get  from  him  some  jeans 
cloth  and  socks  for  another  brother  in  the  Confederate 

army." 

"  How  does  it  happen  you  are  not  in  the  army  your- 
self?    That  looks  rather  suspicious." 

"Oh,  I  live  too  near  the  Federal  lines  to  be  conscripted.'* 

"  Well,  we'll  have  to  send  you  to  Murfreesboro.  1 
reckon  you're  all  right ;  but  those  are  our  orders,  and 
we  can't  go  behind  them." 

To  this  Morford  readily  consented,  saying  he  had  no 
objection;  and  the  party  sat  down  by  the  fire  and  talked 
in  a  friendly  manner  for  some  time.  Morford  soon  re- 
membered that  he  had  a  bottle  of  brandy  with  him,  and 
generously  treated  the  crowd.  Further  conversation 
was  followed  by  a  second  drink,  and  soon  by  a  third. 
One  of  the  party  now  proposed  to  exchange  his  Rosinantr 

10 


146    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

ish  mare  for  a  fine  horse  which  Morford  rode.  Tlie 
latter  was  not  inclined  to  trade ;  but  objection  was  use* 
less,  and  he  finally  yielded,  receiving  seventy-five  dollars 
in  Confederate  money  and  the  mare.  The  trade  pleased 
the  soldier,  and  a  present  of  a  pair  of  socks  still  farther 
enhanced  his  pleasure.  His  companions  were  also  simi- 
larly favored,  and  testified  their  appreciation  of  the  gift 
by  endeavoring  to  purchase  the  balance  of  Morford's 
stock.  He  would  not  sell,  however,  as  he  wished  to 
send  them  to  his  brother  at  Richmond,  by  a  person  who 
had  given  public  notice  that  he  was  soon  going  there. 
A  fourth  drink  made  all  supremely  happy :  at  which 
juncture  their  prisoner  asked  permission  to  go  to  a 
friend's  house,  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ofi",  and  stay 
until  morning,  when  he  would  go  with  them  to  Murfrees- 
boro.  His  friend  of  the  horse-trade,  now  very  mellow, 
thought  he  need  not  go  to  Murfreesboro  at  all,  and  said 
he  would  see  what  the  others  said  about  it.  Finally  it 
was  concluded  that  he  was  "  right,"  and  might;  where- 
upon he  mounted  the  skeleton  mare  and  rode  rejoicingly 
into  Nashville. 

On  his  next  trip  southward  he  was  arrested  by  Colonel 
John  T.  Morgan,  just  as  he  came  out  of  the  Federal 
lines,  and,  as  his  only  resort,  joined  Forrest's  command, 
and  was  furnished  with  a  horse  and  gun.  The  next  day 
Forrest  made  a  speech  to  his  men,  and  told  them  that 
they  were  now  going  to  capture  Nashville.  The  column 
immediately  began  its  march,  and  Morford,  by  some 
means,  managed  to  have  himself  placed  in  the  advance. 
Two  miles  below  Lavergne  a  halt  for  the  night  was 
made ;  but  Morford's  horse  was  unruly,  and  could  not 
t»e  stopped,  carrying  its  rider  ahead  and  out  of  sight.     It 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,   SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    147 

is  needless  to  say  that  fhis  obstinacy  was  not  overcome 
until  Nashville  was  reached,  nor  that,  when  Forrest  came 
the  next  day,  General  Negley  was  amply  prepared  for  him. 

At  this  time  Nashville  was  invested.  Buell  was  known 
to  be  advancing  toward  the  city,  but  no  scouts  had  been 
able  to  go  to  or  come  from  him.  A  handsome  reward 
was  offered  to  any  one  who  would  carry  a  despatch 
safely  through  to  Bowling  Green,  and  Morford  undertook 
to  do  it.  Putting  the  document  under  the  lining  of  his 
boot,  he  started  for  Gallatin,  where  he  arrived  safely. 

For  some  hours  he  sauntered  around  the  place,  lounged 
in  and  out  of  bar  rooms,  made  friends  with  the  rebel 
soldiers,  and  toward  evening  purchased  a  small  bag  of 
corn  meal,  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  a  pound  or  two  of  salt, 
and  some  smaller  articles,  which  he  threw  across  his 
shoulder  and  started  up  the  Louisville  road,  with  hat 
on  one  side,  hair  in  admirable  disorder,  and,  apj^)arently, 
gloriously  drunk.  The  pickets  jested  at  and  made  sport 
of  him,  but  permitted  him  to  pass.  The  meal,  etc.,  was  car- 
ried six  miles,  when  he  suddenly  became  sober,  dropped  it, 
and  hastened  on  to  Bowling  Green,  and  there  met  General 
Rosecrans,  who  had  just  arrived.  His  information  waa 
ver}^  valuable.  Here  he  remained  until  the  army  came  up 
and  passed  on,  and  then  set  out  on  his  return  on  foot,  as  he 
had  come.  He  supposed  that  our  forces  had  gone  by  way 
of  Gallatin,  but  when  near  that  place  learned  that  it  waa 
still  in  possession  of  the  rebels,  and  so  stopped  for  the 
night  in  a  shanty  between  Morgan's  pickets,  on  the 
north  side,  and  Woolford's  (Union),  on  the  south  side. 
During  the  night  the  two  had  a  fight,  which  finally 
centered  around  the  shanty,  and  resulted  in  driving 
Morford  to  the  woods.     Tu  two  or  three  hours  he  came 


148    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

back  for  his  clothes,  and  found  that  the  contending 
parties  had  disappeared,  and  that  the  railroad  tunnels 
had  been  filled  with  wood  and  fired.  Hastily  gathering 
his  effects  together,  he  made  his  way  to  Tyree  Springs, 
and  thence  to  Nashville. 

For  a  short  time  he  acted  as  a  detective  of  the  army 
police  at  Nashville,  assuming  the  character  of  a  rebel 
soldier,  and  living  in  the  families  of  prominent  secession- 
ists. In  this  work  he  was  very  successful ;  but  it  had 
too  little  of  danger  and  adventure,  and  he  returned  again 
to  scoT^ting,  making  several  trips  southward,  sometimes 
without  trouble,  but  once  or  twice  being  arrested  and 
escaping  as  best  he  could.  In  these  expeditions  he 
visited  McMinnville,  Murfreesboro,  Altamont,  on  the 
Cumberland  mountains,  Bridgeport.  Chattanooga,  and 
other  places  of  smaller  note.  He  travelled  usually  in 
the  guise  of  a  smuggler,  actually  obtaining  orders  for 
goods  from  j)rominent  rebels,  and  sometimes  the  money 
in  advance,  filling  them  in  Nashville,  and  delivering  the 
articles  upon  his  next  trip.  Just  before  the  battle  of 
Stone  river,  he  received  a  large  order  to  be  filled  for  the 
rebel  hospitals ;  went  to  Nashville,  procured  the  medicine, 
and  returned  to  McMinnville,  where  he  delivered  some 
of  it.  Thence  he  travelled  to  Brad^^ville,  and  thence  to 
Murfreesboro,  arriving  there  just  as  the  battle  began. 
Presenting  some  of  the  surgeons  with  a  supply  of  mor- 
phine, he  assisted  them  in  attending  the  wounded  for  a 
day  or  two,  and  then  went  to  a  hospital  tent  in  the 
woods  near  the  raili'oad,  where  he  also  remained  one 
day  and  part  of  another.  The  fight  was  now  getting 
hot,  and,  fearful  that  somebody  would  recognize  him,  he 
^ft  Murfreesboro  on  Friday,  and  went  to  McMinnville. 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTI\T:S.    H9 

He  had  been  there  but  little  more  than  an  hour,  having 
barely  time  to  put  up  his  horse  and  step  into  a  house 
near  by  to  see  some  wounded  men,  when  two  soldiers 
arrived  in  search  of  him.  Their  description  of  him  was 
perfect;  but  he  escaped  by  being  out  of  sight — the 
friend  with  whom  he  was  supposed  to  be,  declaring, 
though  closely  questioned,  that  he  had  not  seen  and 
knew  nothing  of  him.  In  a  few  minutes  pickets  were 
thrown  out  around  the  town,  and  it  was  two  days  before 
he  could  get  away.  Obtaining  a  pass  to  Chattanooga  at 
last,  only  through  the  inHuenco  of  a  lady  acquaintance, 
with  it  he  passed  the  guards ;  but  when  once  out  of 
sight,  turned  off  from  the  Chattanooga  road  and  made 
his  way  safely  to  Nashville. 

General  Rosecrans  was  now  in  possession  of  Murfrees- 
boro,  and  thither  Morford  proceeded  with  some  smuggler's 
goods,  with  a  view  to  another  trip.  The  necessary  per- 
mission was  readily  obtained,  and  he  set  out  for  Wood- 
bury. Leaving  his  wagon  outside  the  rebel  lines,  he 
proceeded  on  foot  to  McMinnville,  arriving  there  on  the 
19th  of  January  1863,  and  finding  General  John  H. 
Morgan,  to  whom  he  represented  himself  as  a  former 
resident  in  the  vicinity  of  Woodbury ;  his  family,  how- 
ever, had  moved  away,  and  he  would  like  permission  to 
take  his  wagon  and  bring  away  the  household  goods. 
This  was  granted,  and  the  wagon  brought  to  McMinn- 
ville, whence  Morford  went  to  Chattanooga,  representing 
himself  along  the  road  as  a  fugitive  from  the  Yankees. 
Near  Chattanooga  he  began  selling  his  goods  to  Union 
ists  and  rebels  alike,  at  enormous  prices,  and  soon 
closed  them  out  at  a  profit  of  from  four  hundred  to  five 
hund  -ed   dollans.     At  Chattanooga  he  remained  a  few 


150    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

days,  obtained  all  the  information  he  could,  and  returned 
to  Murfreesboro  without  trouble. 

His  next  and  last  trip  is  the  most  interesting  and 
daring  of  all  his  adventures.  Making  a  few  days'  stay 
in  Murfreesboro,  he  went  to  McMinnville,  and  remained 
there  several  days,  during  which  time  he  burned  Hickory 
Creek  bridge,  and  sent  a  report  of  it  to  General  Rosecrans. 
This  he  managed  with  so  much  secrecy  and  skill  as  to 
escape  all  suspicion  of  complicity  in  the  work,  mingling 
freely  with  the  citizens  and  talking  the  matter  over  in 
all  its  phases.  From  McMinnville  Morford  proceeded 
to  Chattanooga,  and  remained  there  nearly  a  week, 
when  he  learned  that  three  of  our  scouts  were  imprisoned 
in  the  Hamilton  county  jail,  at  Harrison,  Tennessee, 
and  were  to  be  shot  on  the  first  Friday  in  May. 
Determined  to  attempt  their  rescue,  he  sent  a  Union 
man  to  the  town  to  ascertain  who  was  jailer,  what  the 
number  of  the  guards,  how  they  were  placed,  and  inquire 
into  the  condition  of  things  in  general  about  the  jail. 
Upon  receipt  of  his  report,  Morford  gathered  about  him 
nine  Union  men,  on  the  night  of  Tuesday,  April  21, 
1863,  and  started  for  Harrison.  Before  reaching  the 
place,  however,  they  heard  rumors  that  the  guard  had 
been  greatly  strengthened ;  and,  fearful  that  it  would 
prove  too  powerful  for  them,  the  party  retreated  to  the 
mountains  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tennessee  river, 
where  they  remained  concealed  until  Thursdaj^  night. 
On  Wednesday  night  the  same  man  who  had  previously 
gone  to  the  town  was  again  sent  to  reconnoitre  the 
position.  Thursday  morning  he  returned  and  said  that 
the  story  of  a  strong  guard  was  all  false  :  there  were  but 
two  in  addition  to  the  jailer 


NARRATIVES   OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES.    151 

Morford's  part}  was  now  reduced  to  six,  including 
himself;  but  he  resolved  to  make  the  attempt  that  night. 
Late  in  the  afternoon  all  went  down  to  the  river  and 
loitered  around  until  dark,  when  they  procured  boata 
and  crossed  to  the  opposite  bank.  Taking  the  Chattanooga 
and  Harrison  road,  they  entered  the  town,  looked 
around  at  leisure,  saw  no  soldiers  nor  any  thing  unusual, 
and  proceeded  toward  the  jail.  Approaching  quite 
near,  they  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground  and  sur- 
veyed the  premises  carefully.  The  jail  was  surrounded 
by  a  high  board  fence,  in  which  were  two  gates. 
Morford's  plan  of  operations  was  quickly  arranged. 
Making  a  prisoner  of  one  ol  his  own  men,  he  entered 
the  enclosure,  posting  a  sentinel  at  each  gate.  Once 
inside,  a  light  was  visible  in  the  jail,  and  Morford 
marched  confidently  up  to  the  door  and  rapped.  The 
jailer  thrust  his  head  out  of  a  window  and  asked  what 
was  wanted.  He  was  told,  "  Here  is  a  prisoner  to  put 
in  the  jail."  Apparently  satisfied,  the  jailer  soon  opened 
the  door  and  admitted  the  twain  into  the  entry.  In  a 
moment,  however,  he  became  alarmed,  and  hastily  ex- 
claiming, "  Hold  on !"  stepped  out. 

For  ten  minutes  Morford  waited  patiently  for  his 
return,  supposing,  of  course,  that  he  could  not  escape 
from  the  yard,  both  gates  being  guarded.  Not  making 
his  appearance,  it  was  found  that  the  pickets  had  allowed 
him  to  pass  them.  This  rather  alarming  fact  made 
haste  necessary,  and  Morford,  returning  to  the  jail,  said 
he  must  put  his  prisoner  in  immediately,  and  demanded 
the  keys  forthwith.  The  women  declared  in  positive 
terms  that  they  hadn't  them,  and  did  not  know  where 
they  were.     One  of  the  guards  was  discovered  in  bed 


152    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

and  told  to  get  the  keys.  Proving  rather  noisy  and 
Baucy,  he  was  reminded  that  he  might  get  his  head 
taken  off  if  he  were  not  quiet — which  intimation 
effectually  silenced  him.  Morford  again  demanded  the 
keys,  and  the  women,  somewhat  frightened,  gave  him 
the  key  to  the  outside  door.  Unlocking  it,  and  lighting 
up  the  place  with  candles,  he  found  himself  in  a  room 
around  the  sides  of  which  was  ranged  a  line  of  wrought- 
iron  cages.  In  one  of  these  were  five  persons,  four 
white  and  one  negro.  Carrying  out  the  character  he 
had  assumed  of  a  rebel  soldier  in  charge  of  a  prisoner, 
Morford  talked  harshly  enough  to  the  caged  men,  and 
threatened  to  hang  them  at  once,  at  which  they  were 
very  naturally  alarmed,  and  began  to  beg  for  mercy. 
For  a  third  time  the  keys  to  the  inner  room,  in  which 
the  scouts  were,  were  demanded,  and  a  third  time 
the  women  denied  having  them.  An  axe  was  then 
ordered  to  be  brought,  but  there  was  none  about  the 
place  :  so  said  they.  Morford  saw  that  they  were  trifling 
with  him,  and  determined  to  stop  it.  Snatching  one  of 
the  jailer's  boys  standing  near  by  the  collar,  and  draw- 
ing his  sabre,  he  told  him  he  would  cut  his  head  off  if 
he  did  not  bring  him  an  axe  in  two  minutes.  This  had 
the  desired  effect,  and  the  axe  was  forthcoming. 

.  Morford  now  began  cutting  away  at  the  lock,  when 
he  was  startled  by  hearing  the  word  "  halt !"  at  the  gate. 
Of  his  five  men  two  were  at  the  gates,  two  were  inside 
as  a  guard,  and  one  was  holding  the  light.  Ready  for 
a  fight  he  went  out  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  The 
sentinel  reporting  that  he  had  halted  an  armed  man 
outside,  Morford  walked  out  to  him  and  demanded : 
"  What  are  you  doing  here  with  that  gun?" 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    153 

"  Miss  Laura  said  you  were  breaking  down  the  jail, 
and  I  want  to  see  McAllister,  the  jailer.  Where  is  he?" 
was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  suppose  I  am  breaking  down  the  jail :  what 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?" 

''  I  am  going  to  stop  it  if  I  can." 

"  What's  your  name  ?" 

"  Lowry  Johnson." 

By  this  time  Morford  had  grasped  the  muzzle  of  the 
gun,  and  told  him  to  let  go.  Instead  of  complying, 
Johnson  tried  to  pull  it  away ;  but  a  blow  upon  the  neck 
from  Morford's  sabre  soon  made  him  drop  it.  Morford 
now  began  to  search  him  for  other  weapons,  but  before 
he  had  concluded  the  operation  Johnson  broke  away, 
leaving  a  part  of  his  clothing  in  Morford's  hands.  The 
latter  drew  his  revolver  and  pursued,  firing  five  shots  at 
him,  sometimes  at  a  distance  of  only  six  or  eight  paces. 
A  cry,  as  of  pain,  showed  that  he  was  struck,  but  he 
managed  to  reach  the  hotel  (kept  by  his  brother),  and, 
bursting  in  the  door,  which  was  fastened,  escaped  into 
the  house.  Morford  followed,  but  too  late.  Johnson's 
brother  now  came  out  and  rang  the  bell  in  front,  which 
gathered  a  crowd  about  the  door ;  but  Morford,  not  at  all 
daunted,  told  them  that  if  they  wanted  to  guard  the 
jail  they  had  better  be  about  it  quick,  as  he  was  going 
to  burn  it  and  the  town  in  the  bargain.  This  so  fright- 
ened them  that  no  further  demonstration  was  maae,  and 
Morford  returned  to  the  jail  unmolested.  There  he  and 
his  men  made  so  much  shouting  and  hurrahing  as  to 
frighten  the  people  of  the  town  beyond  measure ;  and 
many  lights  from  upper  story  windows  were  extin- 
guished, and  the  streets  were  deserted. 


154    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES. 

A  half  hour's  work  was  necessary  to  break  off  the  out- 
side lock — a  splendid  burglar-proof  one.  Morford  now 
discovered  that  the  door  was  double,  and  that  the  inner 
one  was  made  still  more  secure  by  being  barred  with 
three  heavy  log  chains.  These  were  cut  in  two  with 
the  axe ;  but  the  strong  lock  of  the  door  still  remained. 
He  again  demanded  the  ke}^  and  told  the  women  if  it 
was  not  produced  he  would  murder  the  whole  of  them. 
The  rebel  guard,  Lew.  Luttrell  by  name,  was  still  in  bed. 
Rising  up,  he  said  that  the  key  was  not  there.  Morford 
now  ordered  Luttrell  to  get  out  of  bed,  in  a  tone  so 
authoritative  that  that  individual  deemed  it  advisable  tc 
comply.  Scarcely  was  he  out,  however,  before  Morford 
struck  at  him  with  his  sabre ;  but  he  was  too  far  off,  and 
the  blow  fell  upon  one  of  the  children,  drawing  some 
blood.  This  frightened  the  women,  and,  concluding 
that  he  was  about  to  put  his  threat  in  execution  and 
would  murder  them  surely  enough,  they  produced'  the 
key  without  further  words.  No  time  was  lost  in  unlock- 
ing the  door  and  releasing  the  inmates  of  the  room. 
Procuring  their  clothes  for  them,  and  arming  one  with 
Johnson's  gun,  the  whole  party  left  the  jail  and  hurried 
,oward  the  river.  Among  the  released  prisoners  was  a 
•'ebel  with  a  wooden  leg,  the  original  having  been  shot 
ff  at  Manassas.  He  persisted  in  accompanying  the 
^thers,  and  was  only  induced  to  go  back  by  the  intima- 
tion that  "  dead  men  tell  no  tales." 

Crossing  the  river  in  the  boats,  they  were  moved  to 
another  place  at  some  distance,  to  preclude  the  possibil- 
ity of  being  tracked  and  followed.  All  now  hid  them- 
selves among  the  mountains,  and  the  same  Union  man 
was  again  sent  to  Harrison,  this  time  to  see  how  severely 


NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    155 

Jolinson  was  wounded.  He  returned  in  a  day  or  two, 
and  reported  that  he  had  a  severe  sabre  cut  on  the 
shoulder,  a  bullet  through  the  muscle  of  his  right  arm, 
and  two  slight  wounds  in  one  of  his  hands.  Morford 
and  his  men  remained  in  the  mountains  until  all  search 
for  the  prisoners  was  over,  then  went  to  the  Cumberland 
mountains,  where  they  remained  one  day  and  a  portion 
of  another,  and  then  proceeded  in  the  direction  of 
McMinnville.  Hiding  themselves  in  the  woods  near 
this  place  during  the  day,  seeing  but  not  seen,  they 
travelled  that  night  to  within  eleven  miles  of  Woodbury, 
when  they  struck  across  the  road  from  McMin^iville  to 
Woodbury.  Near  Logan's  Plains  they  were  fired  on  by 
a  body  of  rebel  cavalry,  but,  though  some  forty  shots 
were  fired,  no  one  of  the  ten  was  harmed,  Morford  hav- 
ing one  bullet  hole  in  his  coat.  The  cavalry,  however, 
pursued  them  across  the  barrens,  surrounded  them,  and 
supposed  themselves  sure  of  their  game :  but  Morford 
and  his  companions  scattered  and  hid  away,  not  one 
being  captured  or  found.  Night  coming  on,  the  cavalry 
gave  up  the  chase,  and  went  on  to  Woodbury,  where 
they  threw  out  pickets,  not  doubting  that  they  would 
pick  up  the  objects  of  their  search  during  the  night. 
Morford,  however,  was  informed  of  this  fact  by  a  citizen, 
and,  in  consequence,  lay  concealed  all  the  next  day, 
making  his  way  safely  to  Murfreesboro,  with  all  of  his 
company,  the  day  after. 


General  Palmer  and  the  Hog. — Early  one  morning 
in  1862,  while  at  Farmington,  near  Corinth,  Mississippi, 
as  Brigadier-  (now  Major-)   General  Palmer  was  riding 


156    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

along  his  linos  to  inspect  some  breastworks  that  had 
been  thrown  up  during  the  previous  niglit,  he  came 
suddenly  upon  some  of  the  boys  of  Company  I, 
Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Volunteers,  who  had  just  shot 
a  two-hundred-pound  hog,  and  were  engaged  in  the 
interesting  process  of  skinning  it.  The  soldiers  were 
startled ;  their  chief  looked  astonished  and  sorrowful. 

"  Ah  !  a  body — a  corpse.  Some  poor  fellow  gone  to 
his  last  home.  "Well,  he  must  be  buried  with  military 
honors.     Sergeant,  call  the  officer  of  the  guard." 

The  officer  was  speedily  at  hand,  and  received  orders 
to  have  a  grave  dug  and  the  body  buried  forthwith. 
The  grave  was  soon  prepared,  and  then  the  company 
were  mustered.  Pall-bearers  placed  the  body  of  the 
dead  upon  a  stretcher.  The  order  was  given  to  march, 
and,  with  reversed  arms  and  funeral  tread,  the  solemn 
procession  of  sixty  men  followed  the  body  to  the  grave. 
Not  a  word  passed  nor  a  muscle  of  the  face  stirred  while 
the  last  rites  of  sepulture  were  being  performed.  The 
ceremony  over,  the  general  and  his  staff  waved  their 
adieux,  and  were  soon  lost  in  the  distance. 

The  philosophy  of  the  soldier  is  usually  equal  to  the 
emergency.  He  has  read  and  pondered.  He  new 
painfully  realizes  that  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  that  life  is 
but  a  shadow.  But  he  thinks  of  the  resurrection,  and 
his  gloom  passes  away.  So  with  the  philosophic  boys 
of  Company  I,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois.  Ere  their 
general  was  fairly  seated  at  his  own  breakfast-table, 
there  was  a  raising  of  the  dead,  and  savory  pork  steaks 
were  frying  in  many  a  camp  pan. 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    157 


SCOUTING  IN  EAST  TENNESSEE. 

Edmund  Kirke  (Mr.  J.  R  Gilmore),  who  has  ex- 
plored extensively  the  regions  desoLated  by  the  war, 
thus  narrates  one  )f  the  adventures  of  a  Union  East 
Tennessean,  who  had  been  acting  as  a  scout  for  General 
Rosecrans,  in  his  little  volume  "  Down  in  Tennessee :" 

I  was  dreaming  of  home,  and  of  certain  flaxen-haired 
juveniles  who  are  accustomed  to  call  me  "Mister  Papa," 
when  a  heavy  hand  was  laid  on  my  shoulder,  and  a 
grujBf  voice  said : 

"  Doan't  want  ter  'sturb  yer,  stranger,  but  thar  hahit 
nary  nother  sittin'-place  in  the  whole  kear." 

I  drew  in  my  extremities,  and  he  seated  himself 
before  me.  He  was  a  spare,  muscular  man  of  about 
forty,  a  little  above  the  medium  height,  with  thick,  sandy 
hair  and  beard,  and  a  full,  clear,  gray  eye.  There  was 
nothing  about  him  to  attract  particular  attention  except 
his  clothing,  but  that  was  so  out  of  all  keeping  with  the 
place  and  the  occasion,  that  I  opened  liiy  eyes  to  their 
fullest  extent,  and  scanned  him  from  head  to  foot  He 
wore  the  gray  uniform  of  a  secession  officer,  and  in  the 
breast  of  his  coat,  right  over  his  heart,  was  a  round 
hole,  scorched  at  the  edges,  and  darkly  stained  with 
blood!  Over  his  shoulder  was  slung  a  large  army 
revolver,  and  at  his  side,  in  a  leathern  sheath,  hung  a 
weapon  that  seemed  a  sort  of  cross  between  a  bowie- 
knife  and  a  butcher's  cleaver.  On  his  head,  surmounted 
by  a  black  pUime,  was  a  moose-colored  slouched  hat. 


lob    NARRATIVKS   OK   Sl^IES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

and  falling  from  beneath  it,  and  tied  under  liis  chin, 
was  a  white  cotton  handkerchief  stiffly  saturated  with 
blood!  Nine  motley-clad  natives,  all  heavily  armed, 
had  entered  with  him  and  taken  the  vacant  seats  around 
me,  and  at  first  view  I  was  inclined  to  believe  that  in 
my  sleep  the  .train  had  gone  over  to  the  enemy  and  left 
me  in  the  hands  of  the  Philistines.  I  was,  however 
quickly  reassured,  for,  looking  about,  I  discovered  the 
Union  guard  and  my  fellow-travellers  all  in  their  pre- 
vious places,  and  as  unconcerned  as  if  no  unusual  thing 
had  happened.  Still,  it  seemed  singular  that  no  officer 
had  the  new-comer  in  charge ;  and  more  singular  that 
any  one  in  the  uniform  he  wore  should  be  allowed  to 
carry  arms  so  freely  about  him.  After  awhile,  having 
gleaned  all  the  knowledge  of  him  that  my  eyes  could 
obtain,  I  said  in  a  pleasant  tone  : 

•'  Well,  my  friend,  you  appear  to  take  thinga  rather 
coolly." 

''  Oh,  yes,  sir !  I  orter.  I've  been  mighty  hard  put, 
but  I  reckon  I'm  good  fur  a  nother  pull  now." 

"  Where  are  you  from  ?" 

"Fentress  county,  nigh  outer  Jimtown  (Jamestown), 
['m  scoutin'  it  fur  Burnside — runnin'  boys  inter  camp  ; 
but  these  fellers  wanted  ter  jine  Gunnel  Brownlow — the 
old  parson's  son — down  ter  Triune.  We  put  plumb  fur 
Nashville,  but  hed  ter  turn  norard,  case  the  brush  down 
thar  ar  thick  with  rebs.     They'd  like  ter  a  hed  us." 

"Oh,  then  you  wear  that  uniform  as  a  disguise  on 
scouting  expeditions  ?" 

"  No,  sir  ;  I  never  hed  sech  a  rig  on  afore.  I  allera 
shows  the  true  flag,  an'  thar  haint  no  risk,  'case,  ye  see, 
the  whole  deestrict  down  thar  ar  Union  folks,  an'  ary 


T«-ARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

one  on  'em  would  house'n  me  ef  call  Buckner's  array  wus 
at  my  heels.  But  this  time  they  run  me  powerful  close, 
an'  I  lied  to  show  the  secesh  rags." 

As  he  said  this,  he  looked  down  on  his  clean,  unworn 
suit  of  coarse  ^ray  with  ineffable  contempt-  , 

"  And  how  could  you  manage  to  live  with  such  a  hole 
there  ?"  I  asked,  pointing  to  the  bullet  rent  in  his  coat. 

"  Oh  !  I  warn't  inside  of 'em  just  then,  though  I  war- 
rant me  he  war  a  likely  feller  thet  war.  I  ortent  ter  a 
done  hit — but  I  hed  ter.  This  war  he ;"  and  taking  from 
his  side  pocket  a  small  miniature,  he  handed  it  to  me. 

It  was  a  plain  circlet  of  gold,  attached  to.  a  piece  of 
blue  ribbon.  One  side  of  the  rim  was  slightly  clipped, 
as  if  it  had  been  grazed  by  the  passing  ball,  and  the 
upper  portion  of  the  ivory  was  darkly  stained  with  blood; 
but  enough  of  it  was  unobscured  to  show  me  the  features 
of  a  young  man,  with  dark,  flowing  hair,  and  a  full, 
frank,  manly  face.  With  a  feeling  akin  to  horror  I  was 
handing  the  picture  back  to  the  scout,  when,  in  low, 
stammering  tones,  he  said  to  me : 

"  'Tother  side,  sir !     Luk  at  'tother  side." 

I  turned  it  over,  and  saw  the  portrait  of  a  young 
woman,  scarcely  more  than  seventeen.  She  had  a  clear, 
transparent  skin,  regular,  oval  features,  full,  swimming, 
black  eyes,  and  what  must  have  been  dark,  wavy,  brown 
hair,  but  changed  then  to  a  deep  auburn  by  the  red 
stains  that  tinged  the  upper  part  of  the  picture.  With 
intense  loathing,  I  turned  almost  fiercely  on  the  scout, 
and  exclaimed  :  "  And  you  killed  that  man  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  God  forgiv  me — I  done  hit.  But  I  couldn't 
holp  hit.  He  hed  me  down — he'd  cut  me  thar,"  turning 
up  his  sleeve,  and  displaying  a  deep  wound  on  his  aim; 


160    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AXD    DETECTIVES. 

"  au'  tliar !"  removing  the  bandage,  and  showing  a  long 
gash  back  of  his  ear.  ''  His  arm  wiis  riz  tcr  strike  agin 
—in  another  minhit  he'd  hev  cluv  my  brain.  I  seed  hit, 
sir,  an'  I  fired  !  God  forgiv  me,  I  fired  !  I  wouldn't  a 
done  hit  ef  I'd  a  knowed  thet,"  and  he  locked  down  on 
the  face  of  the  sweet  young  girl,  and  the  moisture  came 
into  his  eyes  :  "  I'd  hev  shot  'im  somewhar  but  yere — 
Bomewhar  but  yere!''  and  laying  his  hand  over  the  rent 
in  his  coat,  he  groaned  as  if  he  felt  the  wound.  With 
that  blood-stained  miniature  in  my  hand,  and  listening 
to  the  broken  words  of  that  ignorant  scout,  I  realized 
the  horrible  barbarity  of  war. 

After  a  pause  of  some  minutes,  he  resumed  the  con- 
versation. 

"  They  killed  one  on  our  bo^^s,  sir." 

"Did  they!     How  was  it?" 

"  AYal,  sir,  ye  see  they  b'long  round  the  Big  Fork,  in 
Scott  county;  and  bein's  I  war  down  thar,  an'  they 
know'd  I  war  a  runnin'  recruits  over  the  mountins  ter 
Bumside,  they  telled  me  they  wanted  me  ter  holp  'em 
git  'long  with  the  young  cunnel.  They'd  ruther  a  no- 
tion ter  him — an'  he  ar  a  feller  thet  haint  grow'd  every- 
whar — 'sides  all  the  folks  down  thar  swar  by  the  old 
parson." 

"  Well,  they  ought  to,  for  he's  a  trump,"  I  remarked, 
good-humoredly,  to  set  the  native  more  at  his  ease. 

"  Ye  kin  bet  high  on  thet ;  he  haint  nothin'  else,"  he 
replied,  leaning  forward  and  regarding  me  with  a  pleased, 
kindly  expression.  "  Every  un  down  my  way  used  ter 
take  his  paper;  thet  an'  the  Bible  war  all  they  ever 
seed,  an'  they  reckoned  one  war  'bout  so  good  as  'tother. 
Wall,  the  boys  thort  I  could  git  'em  through — an'  bein's 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES     XOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES.    IGl 

it  made  no  odds  to  me  ichar  they  jined,  so  long  as  they 
did  jine,  I  'greed  ter  du  hit.  We  put  out  ten  days, 
yisterday — twelve  on  'em,  an'  me — an'  struck  plumb  for 
Nashville.  We  lay  close  daytimes,  'case,  though  every 
lious'n  ar  Union,  the  kcntry  is  swarmin'  with  Buckner's 
men,  an'  we  know'd  they'd  let  slide  on  us  jest  so  soon 
as  they  could  draw  a  bead.  We  got  'long  right  smart 
till  we  fotched  the  Roaring  river,  nigh  onter  Livingston 
We'd  'quired,  an'  hedn't  heerd  uv  ary  rebs  bein'  round ; 
so,  foolhardy  like,  thet  evenm'  we  tuk  ter  the  road  'fore 
hit  war  clar  dark.  We  hedn't  gone  more'n  a  mile  till 
we  come  slap  onter  'bout  eighty  secesh  calvary.  We 
skedaddled  fur  the  timber,  powerful  sudden ;  but  they 
war  over  the  fence  an'  on  us  'fore  we  got  well  under 
cover.  'Bout  thirty  on  'em  slid  thar  nags,  an'  come  at 
us  in  the  brush.  I  seed  twarn't  no  use  runnin' ;  so  1 
yelled  out :  '  Stand  yer  ground,  boys,  an'  sell  yer  lives 
jest  so  high  as  ye  kin  !'  Wall,  we  went  at  hit  ter  close 
quarters — hand  ter  hand,  an'  fut  ter  fut — an'  ye'd  better 
b'lieve  thar  war  some  tall  fightin'  thar  fur  'bout  ten 
minhits.  Our  boys  fit  like  fien's — thet  Uttle  chunk  uv 
A  feller  thar,"  pointing  to  a  slim,  pale-faced  youth,  not 
more  than  seventeen,  "  laid  out  three  on  'em.  I'd  done 
up  two  myself,  when  the  cap'n  come  onter  me — but,  Tve 
telled  ye  'bout  him ;"  and  drawing  a  long  breath,  he  put 
the  miniature  back  in  his  pocket.  After  a  short  pause, 
he  continued : 

"  When  they  seed  the  cap'n  war  done  fur,  they  fell 
back  a  piece — them  as  war  left  on  'em — ter  the  edge 
uv  the  timber,  an'  hollered  fur  tuthers  ter  come  on. 
Thet  guv  us  time  ter  load  up — we'd  fit  arter  the  fust  fire 
wuth  knives — an'  we  blazed  i  iter  'em.  Jest  as  we  done 
11 


162    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

hit,  I  heer'd  some  more  calvary  comiii'  up  the  road,  an* 
I  war  jest  tellin'  the  boys  we'd  hev  ter  make  tracks, 
when  the  new  fellers  sprung  the  fence,  an'  come  plumb 
at  the  secesh  on  a  dead  run.  Thar  warn't  only  thirty 
on  'em,  yit  the  rebs  didn't  so  much  as  make  a  stand,  bui 
skedaddled  as  ef  old  Rosey  himself  lied  been  arter  'em.** 

''And  who  were  the  new  comers?" 

"  Some  on  Tinker  Beaty's  men.  They'd  heerd  the 
tirin'  nigh  two  mile  off,  an'  come  up,  suspicionin'  how 
things  wus." 

"■  Bvit,  are  there  Union  bands  there  ?  I  thought  East 
Tennessee  was  overrun  with  rebel  troops." 

"Wall,  hit  ar;  but  thar's  a  small  chance  uv  Union 
goorillas  in  Fentress  an'  Overton  county.  They  hide  in 
the  mountins,  an'  light  dow^n  on  the  rebs,  now  an'  then, 
like  death  on  a  sick  parson.  Thar  is  places  in  them 
deestricts  thet  a  hundred  men  kin  hold  agin  ten  thousand 
They  know  'em  all,  'case  they  wus  raised  thar,  an'  they 
know  every  bridle  path  through  the  woods,  so  it's  well 
nigh  unpossible  ter  kotch  'em.  I  reckon  thar's  a  hundred 
on  'em,  all  mounted,  an'  bein'  as  they  haint  no  tents, 
nor  wagins,  nor  camp  fixin's,  they  git  round  mighty 
spry.  Thar  scouts  is  allers  on  the  move,  an'  wharever 
thar's  a  showin',  they  pounce  down  on  the  rebs,  cuttin' 
'em  ter  pieces.  Thet's  the  how  they  git  powder  an'  pro- 
visions. They  never  trouble  peaceable  folk,  an'  haint 
no  sort  o'  'spense  ter  guverment ;  but  they  does  a  heap 
uv  damage  ter  the  secesh." 

"  Well,  they  did  you  a  'powerful'  good  turn." 

"They  did  thet;  but  we  lost  one  on  our  boys.  He 
war  only  sixteen — brother  ter  thet  fell  3r  thar,"  pointing 
•o  a  young  man  sitting  opposite.     *  They   hung   his 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    163 

father,  an'  now — tliey's  killed  iiim,"  and  he  drew  a  deep 
sisch. 

"  Why  did  they  hang  his  father?" 

"  Wall,  ye  see,  they  kunscripted  h  im — he  war  over 
age,  but  they  don't  mind  thet — an'  he  desarted,  meanin' 
ter  git  ter  the  Union  lines.  They  kotched  him  in  the 
woods,  an'  hung  him  right  up  ter  a  tree." 

"  Was  only  one  of  your  men  hurt  ?" 

"Yes,  two  on  'em  wus  wounded  too  bad  ter  come  wuth 
as.  The  calvary  toted  'em  off  ter  the  mountins,  an'  I 
reckon  they'll  jine  'em  when  they  gits  round.  But  we 
left  elevin  uv  the  rebs  dead  on  the  ground." 

"  Did  your  men  kill  so  many  ?  The  cavalry  had  a 
hand  in  that,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  Yes,  they  killed  two — thet's  all.  They  couldn't  gii 
at  'em,  they  run  so.     We  done  the  rest." 

"  You  must  have  fought  like  tigers.  How  many  were 
wounded  ?" 

'^  Nary  one ;  what  wan't  dead  the  boys  finished." 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  that  your  men  killed  the 
wounded  after  the  fight?'' 

"  I  reckon  they  did — some  four  on  'em." 

"  My  friend,  that's  nothing  but  murder  I  had  hoped 
the  rebels  did  all  of  that  work." 

"  Wall,  they  does — anuff  on  hit ;  an'  I  never  could 
bring  my  mind  ter  think  it  war  right  oi  human  :  but  I 
e'pose  thet's  case  I  never  hed  a  father  hung,  or  a  sister 
ravig'd,  or  a  old  mother  shot  down  in  har  bed.  Them 
things,  you  knows,  makes  a  difference." 

"And  have  any  of  your  men  suffered  in  such  ways?" 

"  In  sech  ways  ?  Thar  haint  one  on  'em  but  kin  tell 
you  things  'ud  turn  yer  ^lood  ter  ice      D'ye  see  thet  fel- 


1G4    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

ler  tliar?"  pointing  to  a  thin,  sallow  faced  man,  two  seata 
in  our  rear.  "  Not  two  months  gone,  some  twenty  rebs 
come  ter  his  house  while  he  war  lay  in'  out  in  the  woods, 
an'  toted  his  wife — as  young  an'  purty  a  'oman  as  yer 
own  sister — off  'bout  a  mile,  an'  thar  tuk  thar  will  uv 
her — all  on  'em  !  She  made  out  ter  crawl  home,  but  it 
killed  har.  He  warn't  wuth  liar  when  she  died,  an'  hit 
wus  well  he  warn't,  fur  he'd  hev  gone  clean  crazy  ef  he 
hed  been.  He's  mor'n  half  tliet  now — crazy  fur  blood ! 
An'  kin  ye  blame  him  ?  Kin  ye  'spect  a  man  thet's  hed 
sech  things  done  ter  him  ter  show  quarter?  'Taint  in 
natur'  ter  do  hit.  All  these  boys  lies  hed  jest  sich,  an' 
things  like  hit ;  an'  they  go  in  ter  kill  or  be  kilt.  They 
doan't  ax  no  marcy,  an'  they  doan't  show  none.  Nigh 
twenty  thousand  on  'em  is  in  Burnside's  an'  old  Rosey'a 
army,  an'  ye  kin  ax  them  if  they  doan't  fight  like  devils. 
The  iron  has  entered  thar  souls,  sir.  They  feel  they's 
doin'  God  sarvice — an'  they  is — when  they  does  fur  a 
secesh.  An'  when  this  war  ar  over — ef  it  ever  ar  over 
— thar'll  be  sech  a  reckonin'  wuth  the  rebs  uv  East 
Tennessee  as  creation  never  know'd  on  afore.  Thar 
wont  be  one  on  'em  left  this  side  uv  hell !"  This  was 
said  with  a  vehemence  that  startled  me.  His  eyes 
actually  blazed,  and  every  hne  on  his  seamed  face 
quivered  with  passion.  To  change  the  subject,  I  asked: 
"  And  what  did  you  do  after  the  fight  ?" 
"  Not  knowin'  what  moight  happen,  we  swapped  does 
with  sech  uv  the  rebs  as  hed  gray  'uns,  an'  put  North — 
plumb  fur  the  mountins.  Nigh  outer  Meigsville  we 
come  outer  a  Union  man,  who  holped  us  ter  cut  some 
timber  an'  make  a  raft — fur  we  'lowed  the  secesh  would 
track  us  wuth  houns,  an'  ter  throw  'em  off  the  scent  w© 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    165 

hed  ter  take  tor  the  water.  We  got  inter  Obey's  Fork, 
an'  tloated  down  ter  the  Cumberland ;  hidin'  in  the  bushea 
in  the  daytime,  an'  floatin'  at  night.  We  got  nigh  onter 
Carthage,  an'  knowin'  the  river  wan't  safe  no  longer,  ..  j 
left  hit  an' struck 'cross  fir  the  railroad.  Thet  kentry 
ar  full  uv  rebs,  but  hevin'  the  secesh  does  on,  we  made 
out  ter  git  'nuflf  ter  eat  till  we  got  yere." 


BIBLE   SMITH, 

THE   EAST   TENNESSEE    SCOUT   AND   SPY. 

No  troops  in  the  Union  service  were  more  thoroughly 
patriotic  than  the  Union  men  of  East  Tennessee.  Mostly 
of  Scotch  Irish  stock,  and  often  imbued  with  the  most 
profound  and  earnest  religious  sentiment,  they  united 
the  earnest  puritanism  of  Cromwell's  Ironsides  to  the  skill, 
tact,  and  daring  of  the  pioneers  of  the  border.  These 
qualities,  added  to  their  thorough  knowledge  of  the  coun- 
try, and  its  inhabitants,  and  a  sort  of  free  masonry  which 
prevailed  among  the  hunted  and  persecuted  Union  men 
of  the  region  made  them  invaluable  as  scouts  and  spies. 
Among  them  all  none  perhaps  acquired  more  renown  or 
accomplishe(^  more  for  the  benefit  of  the  Union  armies 
of  the  Cumberland  and  the  Ohio,  in  their  great  work  of 
putting  down  the  rebellion,  than  William  Jehosaphat 
Smith,  better  known  throughout  East  Tennessee  as  Bible 
Smith  from  his  Scriptural  middle  name.  Smith  was  one 
of  the  middle  class  of  farmers  of  that  mountain  region ; 
and  had  had  very  little  education ;  hi^  wife,  who,  as  was 


166    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

often  the  case  with  the  class  to  Avhich  she  belonged,  wda 
of  sojnewhat  higher  social  position  than  her  husband, 
and  better  educated,  had  taught  him  to  read.  He  was 
a  man  of  very  strong  affections,  and  was  deeply  attached 
to  his  wife,  whom  he  regarded  as  almost  a  superior  being. 
Next  to  her  his  most  ardent  love  was  bestowed  on  the 
flag  of  his  country.  For  it  and  the  cause  it  represented 
he  would  dare  any  thing  and  every  thing.  Mr.  J.  R. 
Gilmore  ("  Edmund  Kirke")  gives  an  admirable  history 
of  Smith's  experiences  in  connection  with  the  war  and 
as  a  scout,  from  which  we  quote  the  following: 

Seated  after  dinner  on  the  piazza  of  the  hospitable 
Southern  lady,  Bible  told  me  his  story. 

He  had  been  stripped  of  all  his  property,  his  wife  and 
children  had  been  driven  from  their  home,  his  house  had 
been  burned  to  the  ground,  and  he  himself  hunted 
through  the  woods  like  a  wild  beast,  because  he  had  re- 
mained true  to  what  he  called  democratic  principles — 
"  free  schools,  free  speech,  free  thought,  and  free  a'r  fur 
all  o'  God's  critters." 

The  world  went  well  with  him  till  the  breaking  out 
of  the  rebellion.  That  event  found  him  the  owner  of 
fifteen  likely  negroes,  a  fine  plantation  of  nine  hundred 
and  thirty  acres,  and  a  comfortable  frame  dwelling  and 
out-buildings.  His  elder  daughter  had  married  a  young 
farmer  of  the  district,  and  his  younger — little  Sally, 
whom  I  remembered  as  a  rosy-cheeked,  meek-eyed,  wee 
'thing  of  only  seven  years — had  grown  up  a  woman. 

In  the  spring  of  1861,  when  there  were  no  Union 
troops  south  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  secession  fever  was 
ragmg  furiously  all  over  his  county   he  organized  one 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    DETECTIVES.    l67 

hundred  and  six  of  his  noighbors  into  a  ooiiipany  of 
Home  Guards,  and  was  elected  their  captain.  They 
were  pledged  to  resist  all  attacks  on  the  person  or  prop- 
erty of  any  of  their  number,  and  met  frequently  in  the 
woods  in  the  vicinity  of  their  homes.  This  organization 
secured  Bible  safety  and  free  expression  of  opinion  till 
long  after  Tennessee  went  out  of  the  Union.  In  fact, 
he  felt  so  secure  that,  in  1862 — a  year  after  the  State 
seceded — under  the  protection  of  his  band  of  Home 
Guards,  he  inaugurated  and  carried  through  a  celebratiot 
of  the  fourth  of  July  at  Richmond,  Tennessee,  under  the 
very  guns  of  a  rebel  regiment  then  forming  in  the  town. 

An  act  of  so  much  temerity  naturally  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  Confederate  authorities,  and  not  long 
afterward  he  was  roused  from  his  bed  one  morning,  before 
daybreak,  by  three  hundred  armed  men,  who  told  him 
that  he  was  a  prisoner,  and  that  all  his  property  was 
confiscated  to  the  Government.  They  at  once  enforced 
the  " confiscation  act;"  "and  this,"  he  said,  taking  from 
his  wallet  a  piece  of  soiled  paper,  "  ar'  whot  I  hed  ter 
'tribute  ter  the  dingnation  consarn.  It'r  Sally's  own 
handwrite,  an'  T  knows  ye  loikes  har,  so  ye  kin  hev  it, 
fur  it'll  nuver  be  uv  no  manner  uv  account  ter  me." 

The  schedule  is  now  before  me,  and  I  copy  it  verbatim : 
'*14  men  and  wimmin"  (Jake  eluded  the  soldiers  and 
escaped  to  the  woods),  "1600  barrils  corn,  130  sheeps, 
700  bushls  wheat,  440  barley,  100  rye,  27  mules,  5  eow- 
brutes,  105  head  hogs,  17  horses  and  mars,  and  all  they 
cud  tote  beside." 

"Wall,  they  tied  me  hand  an'  fut,"  he  continued, 
"an'  toted  me  off  ter  the  Military  Commission  sittin'  tei 
Chattanoog-a.      I   kncw'd   whot    thet    meant — a   short 


168   NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

prayer,  a  long  rope,  an'  a  break-down  danced  on  the  top 
o'  nothin'.  Better  men  nur  me  hed  gone  thet  way  ter 
the  Kingdom — sevin  on  *em  wuthin  a  month — but  I  de- 
tarmined  I  wouldn't  go  ef  I  could  holp  it ;  not  thet  I 
jected  ter  the  journey,  only  ter  goin'  afore  uv  Sally. 
Ye  sees,  I  hedn't  been  nigh  so  good  a  man  as  I'd  orter 
be,  an'  I  reckoned  Sally — who,  ye  knows,  ar  the  best 
'ooman  thet  uver  lived — I  reckoned  she,  ef  she  got  thar 
a  leetle  afore  o'  me,  could  sort  o'  put  in  a  good  word  wuth 
the  Lord,  an'  git  Him  ter  shot  His  eyes  ter  a  heap  o'  my 
doin's ;  an'  sides,  I  should,  I  know'd,  feel  a  mighty  strange 
loike  up  thar  without  har.  Wall,  I  detarmined  not  ter 
go,  so  thet  night,  as  we  war  camped  out  on  the  ground, 
T  slid  the  coil,  stole  a  nag,  an'  moseyed  off.  Howsumuver, 
I  hedn't  got  more'n  a  hun'red  rods,  'fore  the  durned 
Secesh  yered  me,  an'  the  bullets  fell  round  me  thicker'n 
tar  in  January.  They  hit  the  boss,  winged  me  a  trifle, 
an'  in  less  nur  ten  minnits,  hed  me  tighter'n  uver.  They 
swore  a  streak  uv  blue  brimstun',  an'  said  they'd  string 
me  up  ter  onst,  but  I  telled  'em  they  wouldn't,  'case  I 
know'd  I  war  a  gwine  ter  live  ter  holp  do  thet  ar'  same 
turn  fur  Jeff.  Davis.  Wall,  I  s'pose  my  impudence  hed 
suthin'  ter  do  wuth  it,  fur  they  didn't   hang  me — ye 

mought  know  thet,  Mr. ,  fur,  ye  sees,  I  hes  a 

good  neck  fur  stretchin'  yit. 

"  Wall  we  got  ter  Chattanooga  jest  arter  noon.  The 
Commission  they  hed  too  many  on  hand  thet  day  ter 
'tend  ter  my  case,  an'  the  jail  wus  chock-heapin',  so  they 
put  me  inter  a  tent  under  guard  uv  a  hull  Georgy  regi- 
ment. Things  luck'd  'mazin'  squally,  an'  much  as  I  de- 
tarmined ter  be  a  man,  my  heart  went  clean  down  inter 
mv  boots  whenuver  I  thort  uv  Sall3^     I  nuver  felt  so, 


NARRATIVES    OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    1 09 

afore  or  senco,  fur  then  I  hedii't  got  used  ter  luckin'  at 
the  gall  us  uvery  day. 

"  Wall,  /  didn't  know  whot  ter  do,  but  thhikin'  the 
Lord  did,  I  kneeled  down  an'  prayed  right  smart.  I 
telled  Him  I  hedn't  no  face  ter  meet  Him  afore  I'd  a 
done  sutliin'  fur  the  kentry,  an'  thet  Sally's  heart  would 
be  clean  broke  ef  I  went  afore  har,  but,  howsumuver,  I 
said.  He  know'd  best,  an'  ef  it  war  His  will,  I  hed  jest 
nothin'  ter  say  agin  it.  Thet's  all  I  said,  but  I  said  it 
over  an'  over,  a  heap  o'  times,  an  it  war  right  dark  when 
I  got  off  uv  my  knees.  The  Lord  yered  me,  thet's  sar> 
tin,  'case  I  hedn't  mor'n  got  up  fore  a  dirty  grey-back, 
drunker'n  a  member  uv  Congress,  staggered  inter  the 
tent.  I  recken  he  thort  he  war  ter  home,  fur  he  drap- 
ped  down  outer  the  ground  an'  went  ter  sleep,  wuthout 
eo  much  as  axin'  ef  I  was  willin'. 

"  Then  it  come  inter  my  head,  all  ter  onst,  whot  ter 
do.  Ye  sees,  the  critters  hed  tied  me  hand  an'  fut,  an' 
teddered  me  wuth  a  coil  ter  one  o'  the  tent  stakes,  so  I 
couldn't  move  only  jest  so  fur ;  but  the  Lord  He  made 
the  drunken  feller  lop  down  jest  inside  uv  reachin'. 
Wall,  when  I  war  shore  he  war  dead  asleep,  I  rolled 
over  thar,  drawed  out  the  bowie-knife  in  his  belt  wuth 
my  teeth,  an'  sawed  off  my  wristlets  in  no  time.  Yo 
kin  reckon  it  didn't  take  long  ter  undo  the  'tother  coils, 
an'  to  'propriate  his  weapons,  tie  'im  hand  an'  fut  loike 
I  war,  strip  off  his  coat,  put  mine  onter  'im,  swap  hats, 
an'  pull  the  one  I  guv  him  down  onter  his  eyes  loike  as 
ef  he  never  wanted  to  see  the  sun  agin.  When  I'd  a 
done  thet,  I  stopped  ter  breathe,  an'  luckin'  up  I  seed  a 
light  a  comin'.  I  'spicioned  it  war  ter  'xamine  arter  me, 
BO  I  slunk   down   inter  a  come*  o'  the  tent,  jest  aside 


170  nakratives  of  spies,  scouts,  and  detectives. 

the  door.  They  wus  a  leftenant,  an'  three  privits, 
makin'  the  rounds,  an'  the  light  showed  me  nigh  onter 
a  army  uv  sentinels  all  about  thar.  Thet  warn't  no  way 
encouragin',  but  sez  1  ter  myself :  '  Bible,'  sez  I,  ^  be 
cool  an'  outdacious,  an'  ye'U  git  out  o'  this,  yit;'  so, 
when  the  leftenant  luck'd  in,  an'  sayin' :  'All  right,'  put 
out  agin,  I  riz  up,  an'  jined  the  fellers  as  wus  a  follerin' 
on  him.  I  kept  in  the  sh adder,  an'  they,  supposin'  I 
war  one  on  'em,  tuck  no  kind  uv  notice  uv  me.  We'd 
luck'd  arter  three  or  four  pore  prisoners  loike  I  war, 
w^hen  I  thort  I'd  better  be  a  moseyin',  so  I  drapped 
ahind,  an'  arter  a  w^hile  dodged  out  beyont  the  second 
line  o'  pickets.  I'd  got  nigh  onter  a  patch  uv  woods 
half  a  mile  off,  when  all  ter  onst  a  feller  sprung  up  frum 
a  clump  uv  bushes,  yelled,  *  Halt,'  an'  pinted  his 
musket  stret  at  me.  I  mought  hev  eended  'im,  but  I 
reckoned  others  wus  nigh,  an'  sides,  I  nuver  takes 
humin  life  ef  I  kin  holp  it ;  so  I  sez  ter  'im ;  *  Why, 
Lord  bless  me,  cumrad',  I  didn't  seed  ye.'  *  I  s'pose  ye 
didn't.  Whot  is  ye  doin'  yere  ?'  sez  he.  '  Only  pursuin' 
a  jug  o'  blue  ruin  I'se  out  thar  hid  under  a  log,'  sez  I. 

*  Ye  knows  it'r  agin  rule  to  tote  it  inside,  but  a  feller 
must  licker.'  *  Wall,  licker  up  ter-morrer,'  sez  ha 
'  We's  got  'ticklar  orders  ter  let  no  'un  out  ter-night. 

*  Blast  the  orders,'  sez  I.     '  Ye'd  loike  a  swig  yerself.' 

*  Wall,  I  would,'  sez  he.  ^  Wull  you  go  snacks  ?'  '  Yas,' 
Bez  I ;  ^  an'  guv  ye  chock-heapin  measure,  for  I  must  hev 
some  o'  thet  afore  mornin'.' 

"  Thet  brung  him,  an'  I  piked  off  for  the  ruin.  (It 
warn't  thar,  ye  knows — I  nuver  totch  the  dinguation 
stuff.)  Ye'd  better  b'lieve  the  grass  didn't  grow  under 
my  feet  when  onst  I  got  inter  the  woods.     I  plumbed 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES.    171 

my  coorse  by  the  stars,  an'  made  ten  right  smart  miles 
in  no  time.  Then  it  come  inter  my  head  thet  I'd  a 
forgot  all  ab">ut  the  Lord,  so  I  kneeled  down  right  thar, 
an'  thanked  Him.  I  telled  Him  I  seed  His  hand  jest 
so  plain  as  ef  it  war  daytime,  an'  thet,  as  shore  as  my 
name  war  Bible,  I'd  foller  His  lead  in  futur' — an'  I'se 
tried  ter,  uver  sense. 

"  I'd  got  to  be  right  well  tuckered  out  by  thet  time — 
the  'citement,  ye  see,  hed  holt  me  up,  but  I'd  no  sooner 
gone  to  prayin'  fore  my  knees  guv  out  all  ter  onst — so, 
I  put  fur  a  piece  uv  timber,  lay  down  under  a  tree,  an* 
went  ter  sleep.  I  must  hev  slept  mighty  sound,  fur, 
long  'bout  mornin',  some'un  hed  ter  shuck  me  awful 
hard,  an'  turn  me  clar  over,  'fore  it  woked  me.  I  got 
up.  'Twar  nigh  so  light  as  day,  though  'twarn't  sun-up, 
.Yit  I  luck'd  all  around  an'  didn't  see  a  soul !  Now, 
what  d'ye  s'pose  it  war  that  woked  me  ?" 

"  Your  own  imagination,  I  reckon.  You  were  dream- 
ing, and  in  your  dream  you  thought  some  one  shook 
you,"  I  replied. 

*'  No ;  'twarn't  thet.  I  nuver  dreams.  It  war  the 
Lord  !  An'  He  done  it  'case  I'd  prayed  ter'  im.  I'se 
nuver  gone  ter  sleep,  or  woke  up,  sense,  wuthout  prayin' 
ter  Hni.  an'  though  I'se  been  in  a  heap  uv  wuss  fixes 
nur  thet.  He's  got  me  out  uv  all  on  'em,  jest  'case  I  does 
pray  ter  Him." 

I  did  not  dispute  him.  Who  that  reads  the  New 
Testament  as  Bible  reads  it — like  a  little  child — can 
dispute  him.     In  a  moment  he  went  on  with  his  story 

"Wall,  I  luck'd  all  round,  an'  seed  nuthin',  but  I 
yered — not  a  mile  off — the  hounds  a  bayin'  away  loike 
a  young  thundergust       They  wus  arter  me,  an'  tliet 


172    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

wus  the  why  the  Good  Lord  woked  me.  I  luck'd  at  tho 
Volver  I'd  stole  from  the  sodger,  seed  it  war  all  right, 
an'  then  clurab  a  tree.  'Bout  so  quick  as  it  takes  ter 
tell  it,  the  hounds — two  'maizin'  fine  critters,  wuth  a 
hun'red  an'  fifty  apiece — wus  on  me.  I  run  my  eye 
'long  the  pistol-barr'l,  an'  let  drive.  It  tuck  jest  two 
shots  ter  kill  'em.  I  know'd  the  Secesh  wus  a  follerin 
the  dogs,  so  ye'd  better  b'lieve  I  made  purty  tall  racin' 
time  till  I  got  ter  the  eend  uv  the  timber. 

"  Just  at  night  I  run  agin  some  darkies,  who  guv  me 
suthin  ter  eat,  an'  nothin'  more  happen'd  'fore  the  next 
night,  when  I  come  in  sight  o'  home.  I  got  ter  the  edge 
uv  the  woods,  on  the  hill  jest  ahind  uv  my  barn,  'bout 
a  hour  by  sun ;  but  I  darn't  go  down,  fur,  ye  knows, 
the  house  stood  in  a  clarin',  an'  some  uv  the  varmints 
mought  be  a  watchin'  fur  me.  I  lay  thar  till  it  war. 
thick  dark,  an'  then  I  crept  ter  the  r'ar  door.  I  listened ; 
an'  whot  d'ye  'spose  I  yered?  Sally  a  prayin' — an' 
prayin'  fur  me,  so  'arnest  an'  so  tender  loike,  thet  I  sc  t 
down  on  the  door  step,  an'  cried  loike  a  child — I  did." 

Here  the  rough,  strong  man  bent  down  his  head  and 
wept  again.  The  moisture  filled  my  own  eyes  as  he 
continued : 

"  She  telled  the  Lord  how  much  I  war  ter  har ;  how 
she'd  a  loved  me  uver  sense  she'd  a  fust  seed  me ;  how 
'fore  har  father,  or  mother,  or  even  the  chilkn,  she  loved 
me ;  how  she'd  tried  ter  make  me  love  Him ;  how  she 
know'd  thet,  way  down  in  my  heart,  I  did  love  Him, 
though  I  didn't  say  so,  'case  men  doan't  speak  out  'bout 
sech  things  loike  wimmin  does.  An'  she  telled  Him 
how  she  hed  tried  ter  do  His  will ;  tried  ter  be  one  on 
Tlifl  raal  chillf^nj  an'  she  telled  Him  He  bed  promised 


NARRATIVES    OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DKTECYIVES.    173 

not  ter  lay  outer  His  chillen  no  more'ii  they  could 
b'lii-,  an'  she  couldn't  b'ar  ter  hev  me  hung  up  as  ef  I  war 
a  traitor:  thet  she  could  part  wuth  me  if  it  war  best ; 
thet  she  could  see  me  die,  an'  not  weep  a  tear,  ef  I  could 
only  die  loike  a  man,  wuth  a  musket  in  my  hand,  a  doin 
suthin'  for  my  kentry.  Then  she  prayed  Ilim  ter  send 
me  back  ter  har  fur  jest  one  day,  so  she  mought  ax  me 
once  more  ter  love  Him — an'  she  know'd  I  would  love 
Him  ef  she  axed  me  agin — an'  she  said  ef  He'd  only  do 
thet,  she'd — much  as  she  loved  me — she'd  send  me 
away,  an'  guv  me  all  up  ter  Him  an'  the  kentry  fur 
uver ! 

"  I  couldn't  stand  no  more,  so  I  opened  the  door, 
drapped  outer  my  knees,  tuck  har  inter  my  arms,  lay 
my  head  on  har  shoulder,  an'  sobbed  out :  '  The  Lord 
hes  yered  ye,  Sally  !  I  wull  love  Him !  I  wull  be 
worthy  of  sech  love  as  y's  guv'n  me,  Sally  !'  " 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and  covered  bis  face  with  his 
hands.  When  he  spoke  again  there  was  a  softness  and 
tenderness  in  his  tone  that  I  never  heard  in  the  voice 
of  but  one  other  man. 

"  Sense  thet  minnit  this  yerth  hes  been  another  yerth 
ter  me;  an'  though  I'se  lost  uverythin';  though  I  hes  no 
home ;  though  night  arter  night  I  sleeps  out  in  the  cold 
an'  the  wet,  a  scoutin' ;  though  my  wile  an  chillen  is 
scattered ;  though  nigh  uvery  day  I'se  in  danger  uv  the 
gallus ;  though  I'se  been  roped  ter  a  tree  ter  die  loike  a 
dog ;  though  a  thousand  bullets  hes  yelled  death  in  my 
yeres;  though  I'se  seed  my  onlj^  boy  shot  down  afore  mj* 
vury  eyes,  an'  I  not  able  ter  speak  ter  him,  ter  guv  him 
a  mossel  uv  comfort,  or  ter  yere  his  last  word,  I'se  hed 
Buthin  allers  yere  (laying  his  hand  on  his  h*  art)  thet 


174    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

hes  holt  me  up,  an'  made  me  luck  death  in  the  face  an 

of  I  loved  it      An  ef  ye  hain't  got  thet,  Mr. ,  no 

matter  whot  else  ye's  got,  no  matter  whot  money,  or 
larnin',  or  friends,  ye's  ]3ore — porer  nur  I  ar!" 

I  made  no  reply,  and  after  a  short  silence  he  resumed 
his  story. 

"  Jake — that  war  my  boy — ^^e  remember  him,  ye  hed 
him  on  yer  knee — he  war  eighteen  an'  a  man  grow'd 
then :  wall,  Jake  an'  me  made  up  our  minds  ter  pike 
fur  the  Union  lines  ter  onst.  Sally  war  all  night  a 
cookin'  fur  us,  an'  we  a  gittin'  the  arms  an'  fixin's  a 
ready — we  hed  lots  o'  them  b'longin'  ter  the  Guards, 
hid  away  in  a  panel  uv  the  wall — an'  the  next  day, 
meanin'  ter  start  jest  arter  sunset,  we  laid  down  fur 
isome  sleepin'.  Nigh  onter  dark.  Black  Jake,  who  war 
a  watchin',  come  rushin'  inter  the  house,  sayin  the 
secesh  wus  a  comin'.  Thar  wus  only  twenty  on  'em, 
he  said,  an'  one  wus  drunk  an'  didn't  count  fur  nuthin', 
so,  we  detarmined  ter  meet  *em.  We  tuck  our  stands 
nigh  the  door,  each  on  us  men — Black  Jake,  the  boy, 
an'  me — wuth  a  Derringer  in  his  pocket,  two  'volvers  in 
his  belt,  an'  a  Bowie-knife  in  the  breast  uv  his  waistcoat, 
an'  the  wimmin  wuth  a  'volver  in  each  hand,  an'  waited 
fur  'em.  Half  a  dozen  on  'em  went  round  ter  the  r'ar, 
an'  the  rest  come  at  the  front  door,  yellin'  out: 

"  '  We  doan't  want  ter  'sturb  ye.  Miss  Smith  (they's 
chivulry,  ye  knows),  but  we  reckons  yer  husban'  ai 
yere,  an'  we  must  sarch  the  house.  We  hes  orders  ter 
take  him.' 

"  I  opened  the  door  stret  off,  an'  steppin'  down  onter 
the  piazzer — Black  Jake  an'  the  boy  ter  my  back,  an* 
the  wimmin'  ter  the  winder — I  sez  ter  'em  : 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    175 

"'Wall,  I'se  yere.     Take  me  efye  kin!' 

"They  wus  fourteen  on  'em  thar,  uvery  man  wuth  a 
musket,  but  they  darn't  lift  a  leg!     They  wus  cowards. 

It'r  nuthin  but  a  good  cause,  Mr. ,  thet  guvs  a  man 

courage — makes  him  luck  death  in  the  face  as  ef  he 
loved  it. 

"  Wall,  they  begun  ter  parley.  '  We  doan't  want  ter 
«hed  no  blood,'  said  the  leftenant.  'but  we's  orders  ter 
take  ye.  Mister  Smith,  an'  ye'd  better  go  wuth  us,  peace- 
able loike.' 

"'I  shan't  go  wuth  ye  peaceable  loike,  nur  no  other 
how,'  sez  I;  'fur  ye's  a  pack  o'  howlin  thieves  an'  traitors 
as  no  decent  man  'ud  be  seed  in  company  uv.  Ye  dis- 
graces the  green  yerth  ye  walks  on,  an'  ef  ye  doan't  git 
off  uv  my  sheer  uv  it  in  less  nur  no  time,  I'll  send  ye 
— though  it'r  agin  my  principles  ter  take  humin  life — 
whar  ye'll  git  yer  desarts,  sartin.' 

"Then  the  leftenant  he  begun  ter  parley  agin,  but  1 
pinted  my  'volver  at  him,  an'  telled  him  he'd  better  be 
a  moseyin'  sudden.  Sayin'  he'd  'port  ter  his  cunnel,  he 
done  it. 

"We  know'd  a  hun'red  on  'em  'ud  be  thar  in  no  time, 
so,  soon  as  they  wus  out  o'  sight,  the  boy  an'  me,  leavin* 
Black  Jake  ter  luck  arter  the  wimmin,  struck  a  stret  line 
fur  the  timber.  We  hedn't  got  mor'n  four  mile — ter  the 
top  uv  the  tall  summit  ter  the  ra'r  uv  Richmond — afore, 
luckin'  back,  we  seed  my  house  an'  barns  all  a  blazin'I 
The  Heaven-defy  in'  villuns  hed  come  back — shot  Jake 
down  in  cold  blood,  druv  my  wife  an'  darter  out  o' 
doors,  an'  burnt  all  I  hed  ter  the  ground!  We  seed  the 
fire,  but  not  knowin  wliot  else  hed  happin'd,  an'  not 
bein'  able  ter  do  nothin',  we  piked  on  inter  the  woods 


176    NARRATIYES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

"  We  traviled  all  thet  night  tlirougli  the  timber,  an' 
jest  at  sundown  uv  the  next  day  come  ter  a  clarin*. 
We  wus  mighty  tired,  but  'twouldn't  do  ter  sleep  thar, 
fur  the  trees  wus  nigh  a  rod  asunder ;  so  we  luck'd  round, 
an'  on  t'other  side  uv  the  road,  not  half  a  mile  off,  seed 
'bout  a  acre  uv  laurel  bush — ye  knows  whot  them  is, 
Bome  on  'em  so  thick  a  dog  kam't  git  through  'em.  Jake 
war  tireder  nur  I  war,  an'  he  said  ter  me,  '  Dad,'  sez  he  : 

*  let  us  git  under  kiver  ter  onst.  1  feels  loike  I  couldn't 
stand  up  no  longer.'  It  wus  foolhardy  loike,  fur  the 
eun  warn't  clar  down,  but  I  couldn't  b'ar  ter  see  the  boy 
80,  an',  agin  my  judgment,  we  went  down  the  road  ter 
the  laurels.  We  lay  thar  till  mornin',  an'  slep'  so  sound 
thet  I  reckon  ef  forty  yerthquakes  bed  shuck  the  yerth, 
they  wouldn't  hev  woked  us.  Soon  as  sun-up,  Jake  riz, 
an'  w^ent  ter  the  edge  uv  the  thicket  ter  rekonnoitter. 
He  hedn't  stood  thar  five  minutes — right  in  plain  sight, 
an'  not  more'n  two  hun'red  rods  frum  me — afore  I  yered 
a  shot,  an'  seed  the  pore  boy  throw  up  his  arms,  an'  fall 
ter  the  ground.  In  less  nur  no  time  fifty  Secesh  wus  on 
him.  I  war  &pringin'  up  ter  go  ter  him,  when  suthin' 
tuck  me  by  the  shoulder,  belt  me  back,  an'  said  ter  me : 

*  Ye  karn't  do  nothin'  fur  him.  Leave  'im  ter  the  Lord. 
Save  yerself  fur  the  kentry.'  It  went  agin  natur,'  but 
it  'peared  the  Lord's  voice,  so  I  crouched  down  agin 
'mong  the  bushes.  I  nuver  know'd  whot  it  war  thet 
saved  me  till  nigh  a  y'ar  arterwuds.  Then  I  tuck  thet 
leftenant  pris'ner — I  could  hev  shot  him,  but  I  guv  him 
his  life  ter  repent  in,  an'  he  done  it :  he's  a  decent  man 
now,  b'longin'  ter  Gunnel  Johnson's  rigiment.  Wall,  I 
tuck  him,  an'  he  said  ter  me  :  "I  wus  aside  uv  thet  pore 
boy  when  he  war  dyin'.     He  turned  his  eyes  outer  me 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIE;i,    3C0UTS,   AND    DETECTIVES.     L7T 

jest  as  he  war  goin',  an'  he  said  :  '  Ye  karn't  kotch  hira. 
He's  out  o'  the  bush!  Ha!  ha!'  He  said  thet,  and 
died.  Ter  save  me,  died  wuth  a  lie  on  his  Hps  !  Doea 
ye  b'lieve  the  Lord  hiid  that  agin  him,  Mr. ?" 

"  No,  no  I     I  am  sure  not.     It  was  a  noble  action." 

"  It  pears  so  ter  me,  but  it  war  loike  the  boy.  He 
war  allers  furgettin'  himself,  an'  thinkin'  uv  other  folk 
He  war  all— all  the  pride  uv  my  life — him  an'  Sally- 
but  it  pleased  the  Lord  ter  tuck  him  afore  me— but  only 
fur  a  time — only  fur  a  time— 'fore  long  I  shill  hev  him 
agin — agin — up  thar — up  thar  !" 

His  emotion  choked  his  utterance  for  awhile.  When 
he  resumed,  he  said  : 

"At  the  eend  uv  a  fortn't,  trav'lin' by  night  an* 
eleepin'  by  day,  an'  livin'  on  the  darkies  when  my  fixin'a 
guv  out,  I  got  inter  the  Union  lines  'bove  Nashville." 

"  And  what  became  of  your  wife  and  daughter  ?"  1 
asked. 

"  Lettle  Sally  went  ter  har  sister.  My  wife  v^^alked 
eighty  miles  ter  har  father's.  He's  one  on  yer  quality 
folk,  an'  a  durned  old  secesh,  but  he's  got  humin  natur' 
in  him,  an'  Sally's  safe  thar.  Tse  seed  har  twice  ter  his 
house.  The  old  'un  he's  know'd  on't,  but  he  hain't 
nuver  said  a  word." 

Bible'?  scouting  adventures  would  fill  a  volume,  and 
read  more  like  a  romance  of  the  middle  ages  thai)  a 
matter-of-fact  history  of  the  present  time.  On  one 
occasion,  when  about  five  miles  outside  of  our  lines,  he 
came,  late  at  night,  upon  a  party  of  rebel  ofiicers, 
making  merry  at  the  house  of  a  Avealthy  secessionist 
Riding  coolly  up  to  the  mounted  orderly  on  guard  before 
the  door-way,  he  pmion  ^d  his  arms,  thrust  a  handker- 


u 


178    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCX)UTS,    AND    DETECTIVES. 

chief  into  his  mouth,  and  led  him  quietly  out  of  hearing 
Then  bidding  him  dismount,  and  tying  him  to  a  tree, 
he  removed  the  impromptu  gag,  and  levelling  a  revolver 
at  his  head,  said  to  him  : 

"  Now,  tell  me,  ye  rebel  villun,  whot  whiskey-kaga 
wus  ye  a  watchin  thar  ?  Speak  truth,  or  I'll  guv  ye 
free  passage  ter  a  hot  kentry." 

"  Nine  ossifers,"  said  the  trembling  \ebel ;  a  cunnel, 
two  majors,  a  sargeon,  two  cap'ns,  an'  the  rest  lef- 
tenants." 

''  Whar's  thar  weapons  ?'* 

"  Thar  swords  is  in  the  hall-way.  None  on  'em  hain't 
pistols  'cept  the  sargeon — he  mought  hev  a  'volver." 

"  What  nigs  is  they  round  ?" 

"  Nary  one,  I  reckon,  more'n  a  old  man  thar  (point 
ing  to  the  kitchen  building)  an'  the  gals  in  the  house." 

''  Wall,  I'll  let  ye  go  fur  this,  ef  ye's  telled  the  truth. 
Ef  ye  hain't,  ye'd  better  be  a  sayin'  yer  prayers  ter 
onst,  fur  the  Lord  wont  yere  ye  on  the  t'other  side  uv 
Jurdan." 

Fastening  his  horse  in  "  the  timber,"  and  creeping  up 
to  the  house,  he  then  reconnoitered  the  kitchen  prem- 
ises. The  old  man — a  stout,  stalwart  negro  of  about 
fifty — sat  dozing  in  the  corner,  and  his  wife,  a  young 
mulatto  woman,  was  cooking  wild-fowl  over  the  fire. 
Opening  the  door,  and  placing  his  finger  on  his  lips  to 
enjoin  silence,  Bible  beckoned  to  the  woman.  She 
.■".ame  to  him,  and  looking  her  full  in  the  eye  for  a 
moment,  he  said  to  her :  "  I  kin  trust  ye.  Wud  ye  'an 
yer  old  'un  loike  ter  git  out  o'  the  claws  uv  these  durned 
secesh  ?" 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    179 

''  Yas,  yas,  massa,"  she  replied,  ''  we  wud.  We's 
Union  !     We'd  loike  ter  git  'way,  massa !" 

Then  awakening  her  husband,  Bible  said  to  him : 
'*  Fncle,  wud  yer  risk  yer  life  fur  yer  freedom  ?" 

"  Ef  dar's  a  chance,  massa,  a  right  smart  chance. 
Dis  dark'y  tinks  a  heap  ob  his  life,  he  does,  massa. 
It  'm  'bout  all  him  got." 

"  Yas,  yas,  I  know ;  but  ye  shill  hev  freedom.  I'll 
Bee  ye  ter  the  Free  States,  ef  ye'll  holp  tuck  them  secesh 
ossifers." 

"  Holp  tuck  dem,  massa !  Why,  dar's  a  dozen  on  'em ; 
dey'd  chaw  ye  up  in  no  time,"  exclaimed  the  astonislied 
African. 

"  No,  thar  hain't  a  dozen  on  'em  ;  thar's  only  nine  ; 
but — ye's  a  coward,"  replied  the  scout. 

"  No,  I  hain't  no  coward,  massa ;  but  I  loikes  a  chance, 
massa,  a  right  smart  chance." 

Bible  soon  convinced  the  negro  that  he  would  have  a 
"  right  smart  chance,"  and  he  consented  to  make  the 
hazardous  strike  for  his  freedom.  Entering  the  house, 
he  returned  in  a  few  moments  to  the  scout,  confirming 
the  sentinel's  report :  the  weapons  were  reposing  quietly 
in  the  hall,  near  the  doorway,  and  the  officers,  very 
much  the  worse  for  liquor,  were  carousing  with  his  ma»- 
ter  in  the  dining-room. 

Selecting  thi-ee  of  the  best  horses  from  the  stables. 
Bible  directed  the  yellow  woman  to  lead  them  into  the 
road,  and  to  bring  his  own  from  where  it  was  fastened 
in  the  woods.  Then,  with  his  sooty  ally,  the  scout 
entered  the  mansion.  Removing  the  arms  from  the  hall, 
ho  walked  boltlly  into  the  dining-room.  "  Gentlemen," 
ho  said,  pointing  his  pistols — one  in  each  hand — at  thfi 


180    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

rebel  officers,  "  ye  is  my  pris'ners.  Surrender  yer  shoot- 
in*  irons,  or  ye's  dade  men." 

"  Who  are  you  ?"  exclaimed  one  of  them,  as  they  all 
sprang  to  their  feet. 

'*  Gunnel  Smith,  uv  the  Fust  Tennessee  Nigger  Regi- 
ment— one  old  black  man  an'  a  yaller  'ooman,*'  coollj 
replied  the  scout. 

"  Go  to ,"  shouted  the  surgeon,  quickly  drawing 

his  revolver,  and  discharging  it  directly  at  Bible's  face. 
The  ball  grazed  his  head,  cut  off  a  lock  of  hair  just  above 
his  ear,  and  lodged  in  the  wall  at  his  back.  The  report 
was  still  sounding  through  the  apartment,  when  the  sur- 
geon uttered  a  wild  cry,  sprang  a  few  feet  in  the  air,  and 
fell  lifeless  to  the  floor !     The  negro  had  shot  him. 

"  Come,  gentlemen,  none  o'  thet,"  said  Bible,  as  coolly 
as  if  nothing  had  happened,  ''  guv  me  the  shootin'  iron, 
an'  surrender,  or  we'll  sot  the  rest  on  ye  ter  his  wuck — 
rakin'  coals  fur  the  devil's  funnace — in  less  nur  a  min- 
nit." 

Without  more  hesitation  the  rebel  colonel  handed  the 
Bcout  the  fallen  man's  pistol,  and  then  all,  followed  by 
the  scout  and  the  negro,  marched  quietly  out  of  the 
front  door.  The  mulatto  woman,  holding  the  horses, 
was  standing  in  the  highway. 

"  Hitch  the  nags,  my  purty  gal,"  said  the  scout,  "  an' 
git  a  coil.  An'  ye,  gentlemen,  sot  down,  an'  say  nothin* 
— 'cept  it  mought  be  yer  prayers ;  but  them,  I  reckon, 
ye  hain't  larned  yit." 

The  negress  soon  returned  with  the  rope,  and  while 
Bible  and  her  husband  covered  them  with  their  revolvers, 
Bhe  tied  t'le  arms  of  the  prostrate  chivalry.  When  this 
was  done,  the  scout  affixed  a  long  rope  to  the  waist  of 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    181 

the  officer  on  either  flank  of  the  column,  and,  taking  ono 
in  his  own  liand,  and  giving  the  other  to  the  i.^|n:o, 
cried  out  • 

"  Sogers  uv  tlie  Fust  Tennessee  !  Mount!" 
The  regiment  bounded  into  the  saddle,  and  in  that 
plight — the  planter  and  the  eight  captive  officers  march- 
ing on  before,  the  self-appointed  "  cunnel"  and  his  chief 
officer  bringing  up  the  rear,  and  the  rest  of  his  command — 
the  yellow  woman — astraddle  of  a  horse  botween  them, 
they  entered  the  Union  lines. 

On  another  occasion,  hunted  down  by  several  compa- 
nies of  rebel  cavalry,  Bible  took  refuge  in  a  grove  of 
laurel  bushes.  Among  the  bushes  was  a  hollow  tree  in 
which  he  had  once  or  twice  slept  on  previous  expedi- 
tions. It  had  been  overthrown  by  a  tornado,  and  the 
soil  still  clung,  in  huge  boulders,  to  its  upturned  roots. 
Creeping  into  this  tree,  he  closed  the  small  opening  with 
earth,  and  boring  a  hole  through  the  trunk  with  his 
Bowie-knife  to  admit  air,  and  give  him  a  look-out  on 
his  pursuers,  he  lay  there  without  food  for  three  days 
and  nights.  The  rebels  saw  him  enter  the  grove,  and 
at  once  surrounded  it,  so  that  escape  was  impossible.  A 
party  then  beat  the  bushes,  and  after  examining  every 
square  yard  of  the  ground,  came  and  sat  upon  the 
hollow  tree.  Listening,  he  heard  them  recount  some 
of  his  exploits,  and  assert  very  positively,  that  he  had 
sold  himself  to  that  notorious  dealer  in  human  chattels 
— the  devil — who,  they  thought,  had  given  him  power 
to  make  himself  invisible  at  will.  "  An'  bein'  thet's  so, 
cumrades,"  very  logically  remarked  one  of  the  number. 
**  doan't  it  naVrally  foller  thet  the  devil  ar'  on  the  Union 


182    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,  AND   DETECTIVES. 

Bide,  an*  moughtent  we  'bout  so  wall  guv  it  up  fur  a 
dade  beat  'ter  oust !" 

When  the  rebel  army  retreated  from  Murfreesboro, 
its  advance  column  came  suddenly  upon  the  scout  as  he 
was  eating  his  breakfast  in  an  "oak  opening"  near  the 
highwa3\  There  was  no  chance  of  escape  or  conceal- 
ment, for  the  "opening"  was  covered  with  immense 
trees  standing  fifteen  and  twenty  feet  apart,  with  only 
a  fehort  grass  growing  between  them.  Bible  was  dis- 
guised in  an  immense  mass  of  red  hair  and  beard,  and 
wore  a  tattered  suit  of  the  coarse  homespun  of  the  dis- 
trict. Knowing  he  would  certainly  be  discovered,  he 
assumed  a  vacant,  rustic  look,  and,  rising  from  the 
ground,  gazed  stupidly  at  the  soldiery. 

"  I  say,  green  one,  what  are  you  doing  thar?"  shouted 
the  officer  at  the  head  of  the  column. 

''  I'se  loss  my  cow-brutes,  cunnel,"  replied  the  scout^ 
**  two  right  loikely  heffers ;  'un  on  'em  speckle  all  over, 
*cept  the  tail,  an'  thet  white'n  yer  face.  Ye  hain't  seed 
*em  no  whar  'long  the  road,  nohow,  hes  ye  ?" 

"  No,  I  hain't  seed  'em,  no  whar,  nohow,"  rejoined 
the  officer.  ''  Come,  step  into  the  ranks ;  we  need  just 
Buch  fellows  as  you  are.  Why  the  devil  haven't  they 
conscripted  you  before.  Step  into  the  ranks,  I  say,"  he 
repeated,  as  Bible,  not  seeming  to  comprehend  his 
meaning,  remained  standing  in  his  previous  position. 
The  second  command  having  no  more  effect  on  him 
than  the  first,  the  officer  directed  a  couple  of  soldiers  to 
take  Bible  between  them,  and  to  fall  in  at  the  rear  of 
the  columu.  It  was  not  till  he  was  fairly  in  the  road 
that  the  scout  seemed  to  awaken  to  the  reality  of  hip 
<»ndition. 


NARRATIVES   OP   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    183 

*  Why,  why,  ye  hain't  a  gwine  to  tuck  me  'long 
o*  ye !"  he  exclaimed,  frantically  appealing  to  the 
**  cunnel."  *'  Ye  hain  t  a  gwine  ter  tuck  me  'long  o'  ye! 
Ye  karn't  mean  thet !" 

''  We  do  mean  that,  and  you  just  keep  quiet,  or,  like 
St.  Paul,  you'll  fight  against  the  pricks,"  said  the  officer, 
alluding  perhaps  to  the  bayonets  which  the  two  soldiers 
had  unslung  and  were  holding  ready  to  apply  to  Bible's 
flanks. 

"  Why,  ye  karn't  mean  thet !  ye  karn't  mean  thet, 
cunnel !"  again  piteously  cried  the  scout,  "  Wh — wh 
— whot'U  become  on  the  old  'ooman — whot'll  become  on 
the  cow-brutes  ?" 

"  D — n  the  old  woman  and  the  cow-brutes,"  shouted 
the  officer,  riding  forward  and  leaving  the  new  recruit 
to  his  fate.  And  thus  Bible  marched  to  the  Tullahoma, 
and  thus  he  enlisted  in  the  second  regiment  of  Alabama 
Infantry. 

He  remained  a  fortnight  at  Tullahoma,  and  while 
there  obtained  a  correct  idea  of  the  number  and  dispo- 
sition of  the  enemies'  forces,  and  brought  away  with 
him,  in  his  head,  an  accurate  map  of  the  rebel  fortifica- 
tions. Desertions  being  frequent,  the  picket  lines  had 
been  doubled,  and  when  he  was  ready  to  leave,  it  had 
become  next  to  impossible  to  penetrate  them.  But  he 
was  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  hit  upon  a  bold  expe- 
dient which  proved  successful. 

Restrictions  had  been  laid  by  the  commanding  general 
on  the  importation  of  whiskey,  and  the  use  of  that 
article,  which  is  a  sort  of  necessity  to  the  Southern 
"native,"  had  been  prohibited  within  the  lines  of  the 
army — except  on  the  eve  of  battle     Then  the  cold  water 


184    NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND    OETECTIYES. 

generals,  themselves,  dealt  it  out — mixed  with  gun- 
powder— to  every  man  in  the  ranks.  The  regulations 
concerning  it  were  rigidly  enfor(?fed  in  all  the  divisions 
except  Hardee's.  That  general — to  whose  corps  Bible 
belonged — who  has,  notoriously,  a  weakness  for  ''  spirits" 
and  negro  women,  winked  at  the  indulgence  of  his  men 
in  those  luxuries,  when  it  did  not  interfere  with  their 
Btrict  observance  of  "  Hardee's  Tactics." 

Knowing  his  proclivities,  Bible,  one  evening  just  after 
Bunset,  took  a  tin  ''jug"  under  his  arm,  and  sauntered 
past  the  general's  tent. 

"  I  say,"  shouted  Hardee,  catching  sight  of  the  long 
ft-rm  of  the  scout,  "  where  are  you  going  with  that  big 
Cctnteen  ?" 

"  Ter  git  some  bust-head,  giniral.  Ye  knows  we 
karn't  live  wuthout  thet,"  replied  Bible,  with  affected 
simplicity. 

"  Perhaps  you  karn't :  don't  you  know  it's  against 
regulations.     I'll  string  you  up,  and  give  you  fifty." 

"  Oh,  no  !  ye  woan't  do  thet,  I  knows,  giniral,  fur  ye's 
a  feller  feelin'  for  we  pore  sogers,"  said  Bible.  "  "We 
karn't  live  wuthout  a  leetle  ruin ;  wuthout  a  leetle, 
nohow,  giniral !" 

"  Where  do  you  expect  to  get  it  ?"  asked  the  general. 

"Ter  Squire  Pursley's,"  said  the  scout,  naming  a 
planter  living  a  few  miles  outside  of  the  lines.  "  He's 
got  some  on  the  tallest  old  rye  ye  uver  seed.  I  knows 
him.  An'  he's  the  biggest  brandy,  too,  an'  the  purtiest 
nigger  gal  (rolling  his  tongue  in  his  mouth  and  smacking 
his  lips)  thar  is  anywhar  round.  She's  whiter'n  ye  is, 
giniral,  an'  the  snuggest  piece  uv  house  furnitur*  as  uver 
wus  grow'd." 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES.    18t) 

"  And  how  do  you  expect  to  pass  the  pickets  ?"  asked 
Ihe  standard  authority  on  "  Tactics." 

"  I  reckon'  this  wull  brung  'em,"  answered  Bible,  tap 
ping  his  canteen  significantly. 

"Well,  it  wont,"  replied  the  general,  laughing;  "bat 
ril  give  you  something  that  will.  And  here,  take  this 
canteen  and  get  me  some  of  that  '  big  brandy,'  and  tell 
the  squire  I'll  be  over  there  one  of  these  days." 

The  general  gave  Bible  a  pass,  another  canteen,  and 
five  dollars  of  Confederate  scrip,  to  effectually  "  raise 
the  spirits ;"  and  then  the  scout,  saying,  ''  Ye  kin  reckon 
on  gittin'  sich  brandy,  giniral,  as  wull  sot  ye  up  so  high 
ye'll  nuver  come  down  agin,"  walked  leisurely  out  of  the 
rebel  lines. 

Once,  while  scouting  near  McMinnville,  Bible  was 
captured  by  a  small  party  of  Forrest's  cavalry.  One  of 
the  Confederates  knew  him,  and  he  was  told  he  must 
die.  Throwing  a  rope  over  the  limb  of  a  tree,  they 
adjusted  it  about  his  neck,  and  the  rebel  officer,  taking 
out  his  watch,  said  to  him  :  "  You  can  have  five  minutes 
to  say  your  prayers." 

"I  thanks  ye,  cap'n,"  said  Bible;  "fur  thet  shows 
ye's  got  a  spark  uv  humin  feelin'  in  ye  ;  an'  ef  ye'll  jest 
pile  a  lettle  light  'ood  on  ter  thet  spark,  it  mought  be  it 
'ud  blaze  up  an*  make  ye  a  better  man  nur  ye  is,  or  kui 
be,  whiles  ye's  a  fightin'  agin'  yer  kentry.  As  ter  prayin', 
iap'n,  I  doan't  need  no  time  fur  thet;  fur  I'se  allers  a 
prayin',  not  wuth  words — but  silent,  deep,  down  yere" 
— placing  his  hand  on  his  heart — "whar  I'se  allers  a 
sayin'  'Our  Father!'  Our  Father,  cap'n;  your'n  aa 
wull  as  mine !  An'  doan't  ye  'spose  He's  luckin  down 
«»n  ye  now    sorry,  grieved  ter  His  vury  heart  the  t  ye, 


186    NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

His  chile,  thet  His  own  Son  died  a  wus-  death  nur  this 
fur,  should  be  a  doin'  whot  ye  is? — not  a  hangin'  uv  me; 
I  hain't  no  complaint  ter  make  o'  thet,  fur  it'r  His  wull, 
or  ye  wouldn't  be  a  doin'  on  it — but  sorry  thet  ye's  lifted 
yer  hand  agin'  yer  kentry,  agin  truth,  an'  right,  an'  the 
vury  liberty  ye  talks  so  much  about.  Prayin'!  I'se 
allers  a  prayin',  cap'n;  allers  been  a  prayin'  uver  sense 
Sally  said  ter  me:  'Pray,  Bible,  fur  it'r  the  only  way  yt 
kin  come  nigh  ter  Him :  it'r  the  only  way  ye  kin  know, 
fur  shore,  thet  ye's  His  raal  chile.'  An'  I  does  know 
Pse  his  chile,  'case  I  loves  ter  pray ;  an'  I'll  pray  fur  ye, 
cap'n — ye  needs  it  more  nur  me.  It  woan't  do  ye  no  hurt, 
an'  it  mought  do  ye  some  good,  fur  the  Lord  promises  ter 
-yere  His  chillen,  an'  He  hasyered  me,  over  an'  over  agin." 
The  five  minutes  had  elapsed,  but  the  Confederate 
officer  still  stood  with  his  watch  in  his  hand.  At  last, 
turning  suddenly  away,  he  said  to  his  men : 

"Take  ofif  the  rope!  Take  him  to  the  general.  Ee 
may  do  what  he  likes  with  him.  I'll  be  d — d  if  I'U 
hang  him."  ^ 

Before  they  reached  Forrest's  headquarters  at  McMinn- 
ville,  they  were  set  upon  by  a  squad  of  Union  cavalry, 
who  rescued  the  prisoner,  captured  a  half  dozen  of  the 
privates,  and  gave  the  captain  a  mortal  wound  in  the 
side.  Bible  laid  him  upon  the  grass,  and,  taking  hi? 
head  tenderly  in  his  lap,  prayed  for  him.  As  the  captain 
turned  ais  eyes  to  take  a  last  look  at  the  setting  sun,  he 
placed  the  scout's  hand  against  his  heart,  and  saying: 
"  I*m  going  now — I  feel  at  peace — I  owe  it  to  you — 
God  bless  you  for  it,  may  God  forever  bless  you,"  he 
Tittered  a  low  moan  and  died. 

While  the  rebel  forces  lay  encamped  around  Chatta 


NARRATIVES   OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES.    187 

nooga,  Bible  made  them  a  professional  \isit.  For  two 
days,  from  the  top  of  Lool<:out  Mountain,  he  looked  dowD 
on  their  fortifications.  With  the  works  fully  mapped 
in  his  mind,  so  that,  in  his  rude  way,  he  could  sketch 
them  upon  paper,  he  started,  just  at  nightfall  of  a  murky, 
stormy  day,  to  make  his  way  iiortlnvard.  Arriving 
at  the  house  of  a  pretended  friend,  he  took  supper,  and 
retired  to  sleep  in  a  small  room  on  the  ground  floor.  It 
was  not  far  from  eleven  o'  clock,  and  raining  and  blow- 
ing violently,  when  a  light  rap  came  at  his  window. 
Fie  got  up — he  always  slept  in  his  clothes,  wdth  his  arms 
about  him — and  applying  his  ear  to  the  glass,  heard  a 
low  voice  say: 

"Ye  is  betrayed.  Come  out  ter  onst.  They'll  be 
yere  in  a  hour." 

He  lifted  the  sash,  and,  springing  lightly  into  the 
yard,  saw — as  well  as  the  night  would  permit — a  young 
octoroon  woman  standing  unprotected  in  the  storm, 
thinly  clad,  and  drenched  from  head  to  foot.  Leading 
him  out  into  the  darkness,  she  said  to  him : 

"This  man's  son  war  at  master's  house  not  a  hour 
back.  He's  telled  on  ye  ter  git  the  reward!  They's 
'spectin'  the  cavalry  uvery  minnit.  Hark !  I  yere's  'em 
now!" 

While  she  yet  spoke  he  heard  the  heavy  tramp  of 
horsemen  along  the  highway.  Placing  her  hand  in  hi.H, 
the  woman  fled  hurriedly  to  the  woods.  When  they 
had  gone  about  a  mile,  she  paused,  and  said  to  him : 

*'  I  karn't  go  no  furder.  I  must  git  home  or  they  *\\ 
'spect  suthin'.  When  they  find  ye's  gone,  the  cavalry  '11 
make  fur  the  landin'.  Ye  must  go  up  the  river,  an 
Tjout  two  mile  frum  yere  ye'll  find  a  yawl.     It'r  chained. 


I8S    NAHkATIVKS   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,    AND   DETECTIVES. 

but  ye  kin  break  thet.  Doan't  cross  over — a  hull  i-egi- 
nieiit  is  'camped  on  t'other  side — put  up  the  river  so  fur 
as  \  e  kin." 

With  a  mutual  "God  bless  ye,"  they  parted.  Bible 
made  his  way  to  the  river,  and  narrowly  inspected  ita 
banks,  but  no  boat  was  to  be  seen  !  He  had  spent  two 
hours  in  the  search,  when  he  came  to  a  bend  in  the  stream 
which  gave  him  an  uninterrupted  view  of  it  for  miles 
below.  All  along  the  river  the  air  was  alive  with  torches 
hurrying  to  and  fro.  He  knew  his  pursuers  would  soon  b€ 
upon  him,  and  ejaculating  a  short  prayer,  in  which  he  r& 
minded  the  Lord  that  the  information  he  carried  in  his 
head  was  of  "no  oncommon  vallu,  orter  be  got  ter  the 
giniral  ter  onst,  an'  wouldn't  be  uv  no  yerthly  use"  if  he 
were  hanged  just  then,  he  crept  down  to  the  water. 
Entangled  in  the  underbrush  just  above  him  was  a 
large  log,  the  estray  property  of  some  up-country  sawyer. 
Dropping  himself  into  the  water,  he  made  his  way  to 
the  log,  and,  laying  down  on  it  at  full  length,  paddled 
out  into  the  river.  When  he  had  reached  the  middle  of 
the  stream,  he  let  himself  drift  down  with  the  current, 
and  in  a  short  time  was  among  his  pursuers.  A  thou- 
sand torches  blazing  on  either  bank  lit  up  the  narrow 
river  with  a  lurid  glare,  and  made  the  smallest  object 
on  its  surface  distinctly  visible.  Knowing  that  if  he 
kept  his  position  he  would  certainly  be  seen,  Bible  rolled 
off  into  the  water,  turned  over  on  his  back,  and,  keeping 
one  hand  upon  the  log,  floated  along  beside  it.  When 
he  came  opposite  to  the  landing,  he  heard  one  cavalry- 
man say  to  another : 

"  See !  thar's  a  log ;  moughtent  the  durned  critter  be 
on  thetr 


NARRATIVES   OF    SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND    DETECTIVES.    189 

"  No,"  replied  the  other ;  "  thar's  nothiii'  on  it.  Yer 
eyes  is  no  better  'n  moles.'* 

'^  AVall,  I'll  guv  it  a  shot,  anyhow,"  rt-joined  the  first, 
and  fired  liis  carbine.  The  bullet  glanced  from  the  log, 
and  struck  the  water  a  few  feet  from  the  scout.  The 
one  shot  attracted  others,  and  for  a  few  minutes  the  balls 
fell  thickly  around  him,  but  he  escaped  unhurt !  The 
God  to  whom  he  had  prayed  shielded  him,  and  brought 
him  safely  out  of  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  In  six  days, 
after  unparalleled  hardships,  he  reached  the  Union  lines. 

A  few  days  before  I  left  Murfreesboro,  Bible  staited 
on  another  trip  into  the  enemies'  lines  to  establish  a 
chain  of  spy  stations  up  to  Bragg's  headquarters.  He 
succeeded  in  the  perilous  enterprise,  and,  when  I  last 
heard  of  him,  was  pursuing  his  usual  avocation,  doing 
really  more  service  to  the  country  than  many  a  star- 
shouldered  gentleman  who  is  talked  of  now  in  the  newfi»- 
papers,  and  may  be  read  of  centuries  hence  in  history. 

If  I  have  outlined  his  character  distinctly,  the  reader 
has  perceived  that  he  is  brave,  simple-hearted,  outspoken, 
hospitable,  enterprising,  industrious,  loyal  to  liberty, 
earnest  in  his  convictions — though  ignorantly  confound- 
ing names  with  things — a  good  husband  and  father,  with 
a  quiet  humor  which  flavors  character  as  Worcester 
sauce  flavors  a  good  dinner,  a  practical  wisdom  which 
"  trusts  in  the  Lord,  but  keeps  its  powder  dry,"  some 
talent  for  bragging,  and  that  intensity  of  nature  and  dis- 
position to  magnify  every  thing  (illustrated  in  his  storiej 
and  conversation)  which  leads  the  Southerner  to  do  noth- 
ing by  halves,  to  throw  his  whole  soul  into  whatever  he 
undertakes,  to  be,  like  Jeremiah's  figs,  "  if  good,  very 
good  :  if  bad,  not  fit  to  feed  the  pigs."     Though  morally 


190   NARRATIVES  OF   SPIES,    SCOUTS,   AND   DETECTIVES. 

and  intellectually  superior  to  the  mass  of"  poor  Southern 
whites,"  he  is  still  a  good  representative  of  the  class. 
They  nearly  all  possess  the  same  traits  that  he  does, 
and  differ  from  him  only  in  degree,  not  in  kind.  That 
is  saying  little  against  them,  for  one  might  travel  a 
whole  summer'}  day  in  our  Northern  cities,  and  not 
meet  many  men  who,  in  all  that  makes  true  manhood, 
are  his  equals. 


Three  Soldiers  Captured  by  a  Boy  with  a  Coffee- 
PoT.  — An  amusing  instance  of  the  value  of  a  ready  wit 
and  presence  of  mind  occurred  during  the  advance  of 
the  Second  Corps  of  Federal  troops,  near  Hatcher's  Run 
A  }Oung  lad  in  the  Fourteenth  Connecticut  regiment, 
going  with  a  coffee-pot  to  get  water  from  the  stream, 
suddenly  found  himself  surrounded  by  three  of  the 
enemy. 

With  all  the  fierceness  of  voice  the  little  fellow  could 
muster,  he  commanded  them  to  throw  down  their  arms 
and  surrender.  Supposing  that  the  brave  youth  had 
companions  near  to  enforce  his  command,  they  complied, 
when  he  seized  one  of  their  muskets  and  marched  them 
into  camp  in  great  triumph.  This  story  was  related  in 
his  camp  as  the  capture  of  three  Dohnnies  with  a  coffee- 
pot. 


THE  GREAT  RAILROAD  CHASE. 

The  most  remarkable  and  thrilling  railroad  adventure 
that  ever  occurred  on  the  American  continent,  was  that 
which  happened  to  the  twenty-two  members  of  an  ex- 
pedition sent  out  by  the  Union  General  0.  M.  Mitchel, 
to  destroy  the  communication  on  the  Georgia  State  Rail- 
road, between  Atlanta  and  Chattanooga.  The  expedi- 
tion itself,  in  the  daring  of  its  conception,  possessed  the 
wildness  of  a  romance,  and  which,  had  it  been  success- 
ful, would  have  suddenly  and  completely  changed  the 
whole  aspect  of  the  war  in  tho  South  and  Southwest. 
It  was  as  sublime  in  the  results  aimed  at,  as  it  was  dar- 
ing in  execution ;  for  it  would  have  given  full  possession 
of  all  East  Tennessee  to  the  Union  forces,  which,  moving 
then  on  Lynchburg,  would  have  had  the  valley  of  Vir- 
ginia at  their  mercy,  and  could  have  attacked  Stonewall 
Jackson  in  the  rear.  In  addition  to  this  advantage, 
they  would  have  held  the  railroad  to  Charlottesville  and 
Orange  Court  House,  as  well  as  the  Southside  railroad 
leading  to  Petersburg  and  Richmond ;  and  thus,  by 
uniting  with  McClellan's  army,  could  have  attacked  the 
rebel  General  Joe  Johnston's  army,  front  and  flank, 
driven    him    from    Virginia,  and    flanked    Beauregard 

(191) 


192        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

This  admirable  coup  ■^etat,  the  sagacity  and  importanct 
of  which  challenged  even  the  warmest  admiration  of  the 
Confederates  -  themselves,  as  being  "  the  deepest  laid 
scheme,  and  on  the  grandest  scale,  that  ever  emanated 
from  the  brains  of  any  number  of  Yankees  combined," 
was  planned  and  set  on  foot  in  April,  1862,  by  Mr.  J. 
J.  Andrews,  a  citizen  of  Kentucky,  who  had  been  pre- 
viously engaged  in  the  secret  service  of  the  United 
States  Government.  The  plan  of  operations  which  he 
proposed  was  to  reach  a  point  on  the  State  road,  where 
they  could  seize  a  locomotive  and  train  of  cars,  and  then 
dash  back  in  the  direction  of  Chattanooga,  cutting  the 
telegraph  wires  and  burning  the  bridges  behind  them  as 
they  went,  until  they  reached  theii  own  lines.  The 
party  consisted  of  twenty-four  men,  who,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  its  leader,  Mr.  Andrews,  and  another  citizen 
of  Kentucky,  William  Campbell  by  name — who  volun- 
teered as  substitute  for  a  soldier — were  selected  from 
different  companies  of  the  Second,  Twenty-first,  and 
Twenty-third  Ohio  regiments,  with  particular  reference 
to  their  known  courage  and  discretion.  These  brave  men 
were  informed  that  the  movement  was  to  be  a  secret  one, 
and  doubtless  comprehended  something  of  its  perils ;  but 
Mr.  Andrews  and  one  other  alone  seem  to  have  known  any 
thing  of  its  precise  direction  and  object.  They  all,  how- 
ever, cheerfully  and  voluntarily  engaged  in  it;  and  before 
starting,  Andrews  divided  among  them  seven  hundred 
dollars  of  Confederate  scrip,  informed  them  that  they 
were  now  venturing  upon  important  and  dangerous  duty, 
and  threatened  to  shoot  on  the  spot  the  first  man  that 
got  drunk  or  flinched  in  the  least.  They  then  made 
their  way  through  the  lines  in  parties  of  two  and  three. 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS    AND    MEN.         J  93 

in  citizens'  dress,  and  carrying  only  side  arms,  to  Chatta- 
nooga, the  point  of  rendezvous  agreed  upon,  where 
twenty-two  out  of  the  twenty-four  arrived  safely.  Here 
they  took  passage,  without  attracting  attention,  for 
Marietta,  which  place  they  reached  at  twelve  o'clock  on 
the  night  of  the  11th  of  April.  The  next  morning,  be- 
fore  daylight,  they  took  the  cars  and  went  back  oi»  the 
«ame  road  to  a  place  called  Big  Shanty,  a  regular  stop- 
ping-place for  refreshments,  and  where,  within  forty  or 
fifty  yards  of  the  road,  some  twenty  thousand  Confeder 
ate  troops  were  encamped,  it  being  a  general  rendezvous 
for  recruits  and  the  organization  of  regiments.  The 
train  upon  which  the  conspirators  were,  contained,  also, 
a  number  of  soldiers,  as  well  as  citizens,  together  with  a 
quantity  of  provisions,  and  an  iron  safe  containing  a 
large  amount  of  Confederate  money,  designed  for  the 
payment  of  the  rebel  troops  at  Corinth,  Mississippi- 
Here,  for  the  first  time,  they  knew  the  nature  of  their 
duty,  which  was  to  destroy  the  track  and  bridges  from 
Big  Shanty,  to  and  beyond  Chattanooga,  or  as  far  as 
Bridgeport,  Tennessee.  This  section  of  the  road  is  built 
over  innumerable  creeks  and  rivers;  and  as  General 
Mitchel  had  already  cut  off  all  communication  from 
Corinth,  by  holding  Huntsville,  Alabama,  the  destruc- 
tion of  bridges  which  they  were  expected  to  effect,  would 
have  completely  prevented  rebel  reinforcements  and 
commissary  stores  from  reaching  Virginia,  Tennessee, 
and  Georgia. 

At  Big  Shanty,  therefore,  the  train  stopped  for  break 
fast,  and  passengers,  conductor,  engineer,  and  "  hands," 
all  went  into  the  saloon,  and  were  soon  engaged  in  en- 
joying their  matutin*il   meal.     The  conspirators  were 

13 


194        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

prompt  to  seize  the  golden  moment  of  opportunity  now 
oflfered  to  them.      Leaving  the  cars,  they  quietly  and 
naturally  grouped  together  in  squads  of  three  and  four, 
taking  station  with  apparent  carelessness  on  each  side 
of  the  train.  Andrews  stationing  himself  at  the  coupling 
pin  of  the  third  car.     A  number  of  their  party  were 
engineers,  and  thoroughly  understood  the  business  in 
hand.     One  of  these    engineers  was   at  his  post,  and 
found  every  thing  right.  All  hands  then  quickly  mounted 
the  cars,  although  the  guard  was  within  three  feet  of 
them  ;  the  word  was  given,  Andrews  drew  the  coupling 
pin  and  cried,  "All  right!"     The  engineer  opened  the 
valve  and  put  on  all  steam,  and  the  train,  now  consist- 
ing of  three  box  cars  and  the  engine,  moved  quietly  but 
swiftly  off — leaving  rebel  conductor,  engineer,  passen- 
ger-?, spectators,  and  the  soldiers  in  the  camp  near  by, 
all  lost  in  amazement,  and  dumbfounded  at  the  strange, 
startling,  and  daring  act.     And  now  commenced  the 
most  exciting  railroad  race  and  chase,  which  it  has  ever 
fallen  to  the  pen  of  historian  to  describe.     They  soon 
lost  sight  of  the  lights  at  Big  Shanty  station,  and  at  the 
first  curve  the  train  was  stopped  just  long  enough  to 
allow  one  of  the  party  to  climb  the  telegraph  pole  and 
cut  the  wires.     Starting  again,   they  pushed    along — 
making  stops  here  and  there  to  tear  up  the  track,  and 
taking  with  them  on  the  cars  a  few  of  the  rails  thus  re- 
moved.    But  unforseen   difficulty  now  began  to  meet 
them.     According  to  the  schedule  of  the  road,  of  which 
Mr.  Andrews  had  possessed  himself,  they  should  have 
met  but  a  single  train  on  that  day,  whereas  they  met 
three,  two  of  which  were  er. gaged  on  extraordinary  ser- 
vice, and  they  were  compelled  to  switch  off  and  let  them 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.         195 

pass.  At  the  first  station  where  this  happened,  the 
engineer  of  the  road  made  his  appearance,  and  was  about 
to  step  on  the  engine,  when  Andrews  told  him  he  could 
not  come  on  board,  as  this  was  an  extra  train  running 
through  to  Corinth,  and  that  his  party  were  engaged  to 
run  it,  and  in  support  of  his  assertion  the  iron  safe  was 
shown.  This  apparently  satisfied  the  engineer,  and  after 
taking  in  wood  and  water,  the  train  again  started.  A 
second  time  they  were  compelled  to  switch  off,  and  in 
order  to  get  the  switch-keys,  Andrews,  who  knew  the 
road  well,  went  into  the  station  and  took  them  from  the 
office.  This  caused  considerable  excitement,  which  he 
partly  quieted  by  stating  that  the  train  contained  gun- 
powder for  Beauregard,  at  Coripth.  About  an  hour  was 
lost  in  waiting  to  allow  these  trains  to  pass,  which,  of 
course,  enabled  their  pursuers  to  press  closely  after  them. 
But  they  pushed  on  as  rapidly  as  possible,  removing 
rails,  throwing  out  obstructions  along  the  track,  and 
cutting  the  telegraph  lines  from  time  to  time — attaining, 
when  in  motion,  a  speed  of  sixty  miles  per  hour — but 
they  could  not  regain  the  time  which  they  had  lost. 
Reaching  a  bridge  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Dalton, 
Georgia,  they  set  fire  to  one  of  their  cars,  piled  on  wood, 
and  left  it  on  the  bridge,  to  which  they  thus  hoped  to 
set  fire. 

Now,  let  us  return  to  the  rebel  engineer,  conductor, 
and  passengers,  thus  unceremoniously  left  at  Big  Shanty, 
by  the  amazing  and  sudden  disappearance  of  the  engine 
and  part  of  the  train.  The  party  who  had  thus  stolen 
the  march  upon  them,  had  evidently  done  so  at  that 
time  and  place,  wi'  h  the  presumption  that  pursuit  could 
not  be  made  by  an  ^ngine  short  of  Kingston,  some  thirty 


196        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

miles  above  Big  Shanty;  and  that,  by  cutting  the  tele- 
grai)h  wires  as  they  proceeded,  they  should  gain  at  legist 
three  or  four  hours'  start  of  any  pursuit  which  could  be 
made.  This  was  a  legitimate  and  reasonable  conclusion, 
and  but  for  the  energy  and  quick  judgment  of  Mr.  Fuller, 
the  conductor,  and  Mr.  Cain,  the  engineer  of  the  stolen 
train,  and  of  Mr.  Anthony  Murphy,  foreman  of  the 
Wood  Department  of  the  State  road,  who  accidentally 
happened  on  the  train  that  morning,  the  plans  of  Mr. 
Andrews  and  his  party  would  have  resulted  as  origin- 
ally contemplated,  and  with  crushing  disaster  to  the 
rebel  cause. 

But  these  three  determined  men,  without  a  moment's 
delay,  put  out  after  the  flying  train  on  foot,  amidst 
shouts  of  laughter  from  the  crowd,  who,  though  lost  in 
amazement  at  the  unexpected  and  daring  act,  could  not 
repress  their  merriment  at  seeing  three  men  starting  on 
foot  after  a  train  which  had  just  whirled  away  from  before 
their  eyes,  under  the  highest  power  of  steam.  But  Messrs. 
Fuller,  Cain,  and  Murphy,  nowise  daunted  by  the  disparity 
of  motive  power,  put  on  all  their  speed  and  ran  along  the 
track  for  three  miles,  until  they  came  up  with  some  track 
raisers  who  had  a  small  truck  car,  which  is  shoved  along 
by  men  so  employed  on  railroads,  on  which  to  carry  their 
tools.  Truck  and  men  were  at  once  "  impressed,"  and 
they  took  it  by  turns  of  two  at  a  time  to  run  behind  the 
truck  and  push  it  along  all  up-grades  and  level  portions 
of  the  road,  and  let  it  drive  at  will  on  all  the  down- 
grades. Reaching  the  spot  where  the  runaways  had  cut 
the  telegraph  wires  and  torn  up  the  track,  they  found 
themselves  suddenly  tumbled  out,  pell-mell,  truck  and 
men,  upc  i  the  side  of  the  road.     Finding,  however,  that 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.         197 

"  nobody  was  hurt  on  our  side,"  the  plucky  "  rebs  "  put 
the  truck  again  on  the  track,  left  some  hands  to  repair 
the  road,  and  with  all  the  power  of  determined  will  and 
muscle,  they  pushed  on  to  Etowah  station,  some  thirty 
miles  above.  Here,  the  first  thing  that  met  their  sight 
was  the  "  Yonah,"  an  old  coal  engine,  one  of  the  first 
ever  used  on  the  State  road,  standing  already  "  fired  up." 
This  venerable  locomotive  was  immediately  turned 
upon  the  track,  and  like  an  old  racer  at  the  tap  of  the 
drum,  pricked  up  her  ears  and  made  fine  time  to  Kings- 
ton. There  they  found  themselves  but  twenty  minutes 
behind  the  runaway  train ;  and  leaving  the  "  Yonah  " 
to  blow  off,  they  mounted  the  engine  of  the  Rine  Branch 
road,  which  was  ready  fired  up,  and  waiting  for  the 
arrival  of  the  passenger  train  nearly  due.  Here  a  num- 
ber of  persons  volunteered  for  the  chase,  taking  such 
arms  as  they  could  lay  their  hands  on  at  the  moment, 
and  with  the  fresh  engine  they  started  for  Adamsville. 
But  a  little  before  reaching  that  place  they  found  the 
train  at  a  standstill,  in  consequence  of  the  destruction 
of  a  portion  of  the  road  by  the  Yankee  runaways.  This 
was  vexatious,  but  it  did  not  discourage  Fuller  and 
Murphy,  who  left  the  engine  and  once  more  put  on  t  oji 
foot,  alone.  After  two  miles  running,  they  met  the 
down  freight  train  from  Adamsville — reversed  and  ran 
it  backward  to  that  place,  switched  off"  the  cars  on 
side  track,  and  with  the  engine  made  fine  time  to 
Calhoun,  where  they  met  the  regular  down  passenger 
train.  Here  they  made  a  momentary  halt,  took  on 
board  a  number  of  well  armed  volunteers,  a  company  of 
track  hands  to  repair  the  track  as  they  went  along,  and 
t  telegraph  operator,  and  continued  the  chase.     A  short 


198        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

distance  above  Calhoun  they  saw,  for  the  first  time,  tho 
runaway  train  ahead  of  them.  The  "  Yanks,"  supposing 
themselves  now  well  out  of  danger,  were  quietly  oiling 
the  engine,  taking  up  track,  etc.,  but  finding  themselves 
discovered,  they  mounted  and  sped  away,  throwing  out 
upon  the  track,  as  they  fled,  the  heavy  cross-ties  with 
which  they  had  provided  themselves  ;  which  was  done 
by  breaking  out  the  end  of  the  hindmost  box  car,  and 
pitching  them  out.  The  rails  which  they  had  last  taken 
up  they  now  carried  off"  with  them,  but  their  rebel 
pursuers,  on  coming  to  where  the  rails  were  torn  up, 
stopped,  tore  up  the  rails  behind  them  and  laid  them 
down,  without  fastening,  before  the  engine,  which  ran 
over  them  cautiously  but  safely;  and  then  carefully 
throwing  off  from  the  track  the  cross-ties  which  had 
been  thrown  there  to  impede  their  progress,  pushed  on 
after  the  fugitives.  Now  the  race  became  terrible  in  it« 
intensity.  "  Nip  and  tuck  "  the  two  trains  swept  with 
fearful  speed  past  Resaca,  Tilton,  and  on  through 
Dalton,  where  the  rebel  train  stopped  to  put  off  the  tele- 
graph operator,  with  instructions  to  telegraph  to  Chatta- 
nooga to  have  them  stopped  there,  in  case  he  should 
fail  to  overhaul  them.  On  and  on,  fast  and  still  faster 
the  rebel  train  pressed  with  hot  speed,  sometimes  in 
sight,  as  much  to  prevent  their  cutting  the  wires  be- 
fore the  message  could  be  sent,  as  to  catch  them.  The 
daring  Yankees  indeed  stopped  just  opposite,  and  very 
near  to  the  encampment  of  a  rebel  regiment,  and  cut  the 
wires,  but  the  operator  who  had  been  dropped  at  Dalton 
had^M^  the  message  through  about  tivo  minutes  before. 
They  also  again  tore  up  the  track,  cut  down  a  telegraph 
pole,  and  placed  the  two  ends  of  it  under  the  cross-ties. 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        191/ 

and  the  middle  over  the  rail  on  the  track.  Their  pur- 
suers, however,  got  over  this  impediment  in  the  same 
manner  they  did  before — taking  up  rails  behind  and 
laying  them  down  before.  Once  over  this,  they  shot 
through  the  great  tunnel  at  Tunnel  Hill,  only  five 
minutes  behind  the  adventurous  "  Feds,"  who,  finding 
themselves  closely  pressed,  uncoupled  two  of  the  box- 
cars from  their  engine,  hoping  to  impede  the  progress  of 
their  pursuers.  Quick-witted  Fuller,  however,  hastily 
coupled  them  to  the  front  of  his  engine,  and  pushed  them 
ahead  of  him  to  the  first  turn-out,  where  he  switched 
them  off  out  of  his  way,  and  dashed  ahead.  As  they 
passed  Ringgold,  the  runaways  began  to  show  signs  of 
*'  giving  out."  They  were  out  of  wood,  water,  and  oil ; 
their  rapid  running  and  inattention  to  the  engine  had 
melted  all  the  brass  from  its  journals;  and  they  had  no 
time  for  repair,  so  rapid  was  the  pursuit.  Nearer  and 
nearer  panted  the  iron  steed  behind  them,  until,  when 
it  was  within  four  hundred  yards  of  them,  seeing  thai 
their  only  safety  was  in  flight,  they  jumped  from  the 
engine,  scattering  in  the  thicket,  each  for  himself  And 
now  their  troubles  commenced.  The  whole  country 
immediately  swarmed  with  armed  pursuers.  Unac- 
quainted with  the  country,  they  lost  their  way,  were 
hunted  down  by  mounted  men  and  bloodhounds,  and 
finally  were  all  captured.  Their  plan  had  failed  from 
causes  which  reflected  neither  upon  the  genius  by  which 
it  was  planned,  nor  upon  the  intrepidity  and  discretion 
of  those  engaged  in  it,  but  from  a  combination  of  unfore- 
seen circumstances.  It  was  a  plan  which  the  rebels 
themselves  declared  to  have  been  "  entirely  practicable 
on  almost  any  day  for  the  last  year,"  but  they  did  not 


200       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN. 

expect  to  meet  two  "  extrax)rdinary"  or  special  trains  on 
the  road ;  they  did  not  expect  that  any  men  would  be 
so  apparently  foolhardy  as  to  attempt  their  pursuit  an 
f(X)t;  and  they  did  not  expect  that  their  pursuers  would 
find  any  such  "  God-send"  as  the  old  coal  engine, 
"  Yonah,"  standing  on  the  track,  ready  fired  up.  Their 
calculations  on  every  other  point  were  admitted  by  their 
enemies,  and  those  best  acquainted  wnth  the  road  and 
its  arrangements,  to  have  been  "  dead  certainties,"  which 
would  have  met  with  perfect  success. 

It  might  have  been  hoped  that  the  signal  bravery  of 
such  an  exploit  would  have  commanded  the  respect  of 
their  captors,  and  mitigated  in  some  degree  the  resent- 
ment which  such  an  attempt  excited.  But  it  was 
not  so. 

The  twenty-two  captives,  when  secured,  w^ere  thrust 
into  the  negro  jail  at  Chattanooga.  There  they  occu- 
pied a  single  room,  half  under  ground,  and  but  thirteen 
feet  square,  so  that  there  was  not  space  enough  for 
them  all  to  lie  down  together,  and  a  part  of  them  were, 
in  consequence,  obliged  to  sleep  sitting  and  leaning 
against  the  walls.  The  only  entrance  to  this  vile  room 
was  through  a  trap  door  in  the  ceiling,  through  which, 
twice  a  day,  their  scanty  meals  were  lowered  in  a 
bucket ;  and  they  had  no  other  light  or  ventilation  than 
that  which  came  through  two  small,  triple  grated  win- 
dows. They  were  covered  with  SAvarming  vermin,  and 
the  oppressiveness  of  the  heat  obliged  them  to  strip 
themselves  entirely  naked.  Added  to  this,  they  were  all 
handcuffed,  and  fastened  to  each  other  in  companies  of 
twos  and  threes,  by  trail  chains,  secured  with  padlocks 
around  their  necks.      Their  food,  doled  out  to  them 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        201 

twice  a  day,  consisted  of  a  little  flour  moistened  with 
water,  and  baked  in  the  form  of  bread,  together  with 
Bpoiled  pickled  beef.  And,  as  their  pockets  had  been 
rifled  of  whatever  money  they  contained  at  the  time  of 
their  capture,  they  were  utterly  without  the  means  to  pro- 
cure any  better  supplies  from  outside.  Shortly  after  their 
capture,  Jacob  Parrot,  an  orphan  boy,  aged  twenty 
years,  belonging  to  the  Thirty-third  Regiment  of  Ohio 
Volunteers,  was  taken  by  a  Confederate  officer  and  four 
soldiers,  who  stripped  him,  bent  him  over  a  stone,  and 
while  two  pistols  were  held  to  his  head,  a  lieutenant 
in  rebel  uniform  inflicted,  with  a  raw  hide,  over  a  bun- 
dled lashes  on  his  bare  back.  This  was  done  in  the 
presence  of  an  infuriated  crowd,  who  clamored  for  his 
death,  and  actually  brought  a  rope  with  which  to  hang 
him.  The  object  of  this  prolonged  scourging  was  to 
force  from  him  (the  youngest  of  the  the  party)  a  confes- 
sion as  to  the  objects  of  the  expedition  and  the  names 
of  his  comrades,  especially  that  of  the  engineer  who  had 
run  the  train.  Three  times,  in  the  course  of  this  horri- 
ble flogging,  it  was  suspended,  and  young  Parrot  was 
asked  if  he  would  confess;  but,  steadily  and  firmly, 
with  unswerving  fidelity  to  the  trusts  of  friendship  and 
the  mspirations  of  patriotism,  he  refused  all  disclosures, 
and  it  was  not  until  his  tormenters  were  weary  of  their 
cruel  labor,  that  they  abandoned  the  attempt. 

While  thus  imprisoned  at  Chattanooga,  their  leader, 
Mr.  Andrews,  was  tried,  condemned,  and  executed  as  a 
spy,  at  Atlanta,  on  the  7th  of  June.  The  remainder, 
although  strong  and  healthy  when  they  entered  this 
prison,  at  the  end  of  three  weeks,  when  they  were  re- 
quired to  leave  it,  were  so  exhausted  by  their  confine- 


202        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

ment  and  treatment,  as  scarcely  to  be  able  to  walk. 
Finally,  twelve  of  their  number  were  transferred  to  the 
prison  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  and  there  seven  of  them 
were  tried  by  court-martial  as  spies.  Their  trial,  of 
course,  was  summary,  and  although  permitted  to  be 
present,  they  were  not  allowed  to  hear  either  the  argu- 
ment of  their  own  counsel  or  of  the  judge-advocate. 
Their  counsel,  however,  afterward  visited  them  in  prison, 
and  read  to  them  his  argument,  which  was,  in  substance, 
that  the  fact  of  their  being  dressed  in  citizens'  clothes 
was  no  more  than  what  had  been  authorized  in  similar 
cases  by  the  Confederate  Government  itself ;  that  the 
object  of  the  expedition  was  a  purely  military  one,  and 
as  such  lawful,  according  to  the  rules  of  war ;  and  that 
not  having  lingered  about  or  visited  any  of  the  camps, 
obtaining  or  seeking  information,  they  could  not  rightly 
be  considered  as  spies.  This  just  and  unanswerable 
presentation  of  the  case,  appears  to  have  produced  a 
favorable  impression,  and  the  whole  party  soon  after 
were  removed  to  Atlanta,  Ga.,  under  the  impression  that 
those  who  had  been  tried  had  been  acquitted.  But,  on 
the  18th  of  June,  after  their  arrival  at  Atlanta,  their 
prison  door  was  opened,  and,  without  warning,  the  death- 
sentence  was  read  to  the  seven  who  had  been  tried  at 
Knoxville,  and  who,  little  dreaming  of  their  hapless 
fate,  were  even  then  engaged  in  whiling  away  the  time 
by  playing  euchre.  No  time  for  preparation  was  allowed 
— they  were  bid  to  say  farewell  to  their  comrades,  and 
**  be  quick  about  it" — then  were  tied,  carried  out,  and 
hung.  One  of  their  number,  too  ill  to  walk,  was 
pinioned  like  the  rest,  and  dragged  off  in  this  condition 
♦»  tho  scaffold ;  while  two,  whose  weight  broke  the  ropes 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        203 

which  suspended  them,  were  denied  another  hour's, 
respite  for  prayer.  One  of  their  number,  Alfred  Wilson, 
of  the  Twenty-first  Ohio,  did  not  hesitate,  while  stand 
ing  under  the  gallows,  to  make  a  brief,  manly,  and 
patriotic  address  to  the  scowling  mob  who  surrounded 
him. 

The  remaining  prisoners,  now  reduced  to  fourteen, 
were  kept  closely  confined  under  special  guard,  in  the 
Atlanta  jail,  until  October,  when,  overhearing  a  conver- 
sation among  their  guards,  they  became  convinced  that 
they  were  to  be  hung,  as  their  companions  had  been. 
This  led  them  to  devise  a  way  of  escape,  which  they 
carried  out  on  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  by  seizing 
the  jailor  when  he  opened  the  door  to  carry  away  the 
bucket  in  which  their  supper  had  been  brought.  Seizing 
and  disarming  the  guards,  eight  of  the  fugitives  were 
soon  beyond  pursuit.  Of  these,  six,  after  long  and  pain- 
ful wanderings,  succeeded  in  reaching  the  Union  lines. 
Of  the  other  two,  nothing  has  ever  been  heard.  The 
remaining  six  of  the  fourteen  were  recaptured  and  con- 
fined in  the  barracks  until  December,  when  they  were 
removed  to  Richmond,  where  they  were  confined  iu 
Castle  Thunder.  There  they  shivered  through  the 
winter,  without  fire,  thinly  clad,  and  with  but  two  small 
blankets,  which  they  had  saved  w4th  their  clothes,  to 
cover  the  whole  party.  So  they  remained  until  the 
early  part  of  March,  1863,  when  they  were  exchanged, 
and  thus,  at  the  end  of  eleven  months,  terminated  their 
pitiless  sufferings  and  persecutions  in  the  South — perse- 
cutions begun  and  continued  amid  indignities  and  suffer- 
ings on  their  part,  and  atrocities  on  the  part  of  their 
captors,  which  illustrate,  more  fully  than  pen  or  words 


201        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

can  ever  express,  the  diabolical  spirit  of  the  rebelliDn, 
against  which  they  and  thousands  of  our  brave  Union 
eokliers  have  fought  and  sujQTered  in  every  part  of  the 
South. 


The  railroad  lines  along  the  border  were  the  scenes 
of  some  startling  adventures  and  narrow  escapes,  during 
the  war.  The  following,  very  graphically  told  by  a 
former  engineer,  has  the  merit  also  of  truthfulness  : 

THE  WRONG  SIDE  OF  THE  CURVE. 

AN   EX-ENQINEER's   STORY. 

"Among  the  many  incidents  that  during  the  late 
rebellion  were  connected  with  that  great  national  artery, 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railway,  is  one  that  I  will 
relate. 

"  In  the  fall  of  1861,  having  been  detained  by  business 
in  the  town  of  Cumberland,  Maryland,  I  was  at  last 
about  to  start  for  Wheeling,  when  I  learned  by  a  de- 
spatch that  the  road  was  occupied  below  Harper's  Ferry 
by  a  force  of  rebels,  and  therefore  no  train  would  pass. 

"  This  proved  to  be  true  in  reference  to  ordinary  trains, 
but  a  *  special,'  with  which  was  the  Hon.  Mr.  Pierpont, 
and  a  few  other  notabilities,  had  passed  before  the  rebels 
cut  the  track,  and  was  therefore  approaching.  On 
inquiry,  I  found  that  the  engineer  of  the  coming  trair* 
had  been  one  of  my  old  chums,  ere  I  had  discarded 
engine-driving  for  more  profitable  business.    My  friend 

Joe  M was  a  cool,  bold,  skilful  engineer,  and  as 

generous  as  reckless  of  danger. 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        205 

"  As  I  expected,  I  no  sooner  saw  him  and  stated  my 
wish  to  go  up  the  road,  than  he  swore  that,  special  or 
no  special,  I  should  ride  with  him,  if  for  nothing  but  to 
Bee  the   '  fast  time"  his  engine,  "  Wildfire,"  would  make. 

"As  we  dashed  rapidly  along  and  were  passing  through 
Black  Oak  Bottom,  a  couple  of  ill-looking  fellows  in 
citizen's  dress  fired  at  the  engineer,  but  doing  no  damage, 
merely  provoked  a  laugh  of  derision  from  him  for  their 
want  of  marksmanship.  On  arriving  at  Oakland,  Mary- 
land, we  were  disagreeably  surprised  by  receiving  a 
telegram,  informing  us  that  a  party  of  rebels  were  mak- 
ing extraordinary  haste  to  reach  the  railway  at  a  point 
many  miles  ahead  of  us.  Also  they  seemed  to  know 
who  the  special  contained,  and  would  therefore  use  all 
endeavors  to  capture  or  kill  us. 

"  There  was  but  one  car  behind  the  engine,  and  in  it 
was  briefly  discussed  the  question  of  go  or  stay,  while 
Joe  was  having  the  tender  refilled  with  wood  and  water 

"  Mr.  Pierpont's  business  was  too  urgent  to  admit  oi 
any  possible  delay ;  two  or  three  others  concluded  to  risk 
the  trip,  and  I — well,  if  it's  not  too  egotistical  to  say  so — 
I  had  run  risks  on  railways  too  often  to  back  out  because 
there  was  danger  ahead,  while  the  rest  concluded  to  stay 
and  trust  to  luck  for  the  opportunity  of  getting  away. 

"  Just  as  we  were  about  to  start,  the  fireman  making 
a  misstep  on  the  '  running  board,'  fell  and  struck  the 
ground  with  such  force  as  to  break  his  arm.  Joe  hur- 
riedly picked  the  poor  fellow  up,  but  time  was  precious 
just  then,  so  leaving  him  to  the  care  of  the  gentlemen 
who  had  accompanied  us,  he  started  directly  toward  me, 
asking  me  to  come  and  *  run '  for  him,  as,  having  no 
fire  nan,  he  would  have  more  than  he  could  do.     T  told 


206        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

him,  however,  to  consider  me  his  fireman  for  the  rest  of 
the  trip,  as  he  was  best  acquainted  with  the  road ;  so 
without  any  more  ado,  I  dofied  my  coat,  we  jumped  on, 
and  away  we  went,  past  hamlets,  through  wildernesses 
of  stunted  bushes,  up  grade  and  down  hill,  at  a  speed 
rarely  equalled.  Our  light  train  made  firing  an  easy 
task  for  me,  and  I  had  frequent  leisure  to  scan  the 
beautiful  ranges  of  the  Alleghanies  along  which  we 
skirted.  Joe  was  sitting,  as  was  usual  with  him,  with 
his  left  hand  on  the  throttle  lever,  and  his  body  half  out 
of  the  side  window  of  the  *cab,'  that  he  might  the  better 
scan  the  track  ahead. 

"A  few  miles  south  of  the  famous  Cheat  river  bridge, 
is  a  deep  mountain  gorge,  with  precipitous,  rocky  sides. 

"It  is  shaped  like  an  hour-glass,  wide  at  each  end, 
but  tapering  each  way  toward  the  middle.  The  track 
runs  for  quite  a  distance  along  one  side  of  the  gorge, 
makes  d  very  abrupt  turn  to  cross  the  chasm,  a  very 
deep  one,  in  a  straight  line,  and  then,  still  curving  in- 
wardly, follows  the  gorge  in  a  line  nearly  parallel  with 
the  track  on  the  opposite  side,  for  three  fourths  of  a 
mile. 

*'  We  were  pitching  along  with  that  peculiar  rocking, 
bounding  motion,  so  difierent  from  the  jar  of  ordinary 
fast  speed.  As  we  swept  to  the  top  of  a  grade,  around 
the  side  of  a  hill  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  gorge — 
Joe  and  I  both  on  the  lookout — we  saw,  at  a  moment's 
glance,  enough  to  make  us  concentrate  our  thinking 
faculties,  and  act  in  a  hurry,  whatever  was  best  to  be 
done. 

"There,  on  the  straight  track,  just  at  the  near  edge 
of  the  girge,  a  lot  of  men,  in  gray  uniform,  were  hastily 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        207 

piling  up  some  old  ties,  logs,  etc.,  while  at  the  point 
where  th6  curve  was  sharpest — before  reaching  the 
gorge — were  several  more,  tugging  furiouslj^  at  a  rail, 
one  end  of  which  seemed  to  bailie  them,  as  they  pulled 
it  outward.  We  were  within  a  mile  of  them  when  we 
discovered  them,  and  as  each  noticed  them,  the  shout 
came  simultaneously  from  both  of  us,  '  The  wrong  side 
of  the  curve !'  The  ignorant  fools  were  pulling  out  the 
inside  rail,  instead  of  the  outside.  In  the  latter  case, 
nothing  could  have  saved  us  from  running  off  the  track, 
and  probably  into  the  gorge.  Our  single  brakesman, 
seeing  the  danger — I  suppose  from  habit — was  commenc- 
ing to  tighten  the  brake,  but  at  a  look  from  Joe  I  sig- 
nalled *  off  brakes,'  Joe,  meanwhile,  opening  the  throttle 
to  its  widest  extent,  as  we  dashed  down  the  grade  at  a 
positively  frightful  velocity. 

"As  we  neared  them,  a  party  of  them  huddled  to- 
gether near  the  track.  T  seized  a  large  stick  of  wood, 
intending,  if  possible,  to  hurt  ^somebody.'  We  were 
going  altogether  too  swu't  to  fear  their  taking  aim  at  us; 
and  for  that  matter,  I  suppose  they  considered  our  de- 
struction such  a  certainty  that  firing  at  us  would  be 
needless.  I  was  poising  the  big  stick  of  wood,  guessing 
at  the  rate  of  speed — I've  had  some  practice  throwing 
parcels  from  trains  in  motion — when  Joe  suddenly  pulled 
the  whistle-rope.  The  hoarse  shriek  seemed  to  startle 
them  for  an  instant ;  they  huddled  closer  together,  and 
I  tossed  the  stick  outward  and  downward.  I  had 
barely  time  to  see  it  crash  through  the  group  with  the 
force  of  a  thunderbolt,  when,  with  a  jarring  plunge,  the 
wheels  on  one  side  struck  the  naked  ties.  That  part  of 
the  trouble  we  had  feared  but  little,  as  the  impetus  of 


208        DARIKG    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AKD    MEN. 

the  engine  was  almost  sure  to  make  it  mount  the  track 
again.  On  the  track  again,  but  a  few  rods  ahead  of  us, 
was  the  formidable  barricade,  and  beyond  that  the  yawn- 
ing chasm.  Joe  was  standing  up  now,  with  eyes  blaz- 
ing, still  holding  the  throttle  wide  open,  as  he  braced 
himself  for  the  shock.  I  had  grasped  the  brake  rod  of 
the  tender  the  instant  I  threw  the  piece  of  wood.  Crash 
— my  hold  didn't  avail  me,  as  I  was  pitched  head  over 
heels  against  the  tire-box,  and  laid  flat  on  my  back  on 
the  footboard  or  floor  of  the  engine. 

"Joe  was  as  suddenly  jerked  half  around,  his  back 
striking  the  little  door  in  front  of  where  he  had  stood, 
breaking  the  door  and  shivering  the  glass  to  atoms.  But 
we  were  through ;  how,  we  couldn't  tell,  except  that  we 
were  still  on  the  track,  and  thundering  over  the  gorge. 
Joe's  spirits  rose  with  the  occasion.  Extricating  himself 
almost  as  suddenly  as  he  had  been  deposited  in  the  little 
glass  door,  he  jerked  a  tin  flask  from  his  pocket,  sprung 
on  top  of  the  tender,  and  from  thence  to  the  roof  of  the 
cab.  Steadying  himself  for  a  moment,  with  his  face 
toward  the  rebels,  he  shouted,  'good-by,'  made  them  a 
low  bow,  and  took  a  drink,  perfectly  regardless  of  the 
white  puflfs  of  smoke,  as  one  after  another  discharged 
their  pieces  at  him;  as  he  afterward  explained,  'the  en- 
gine made  too  much  noise  for  him  to  hear  the  bullets, 
and  they  didn't  seem  to  be  hitting  anybody.' 

"  After  having,  in  spite  of  sore  bones,  performed  a  jig, 
which  he  had  extemporized  for  that  occasion  for  the  ex- 
press edification  of  the  '  rebs,'  Joe  descended  from  hia 
perch   and  deliberately  shutting  ofi"  steam,  stopped. 

"  W*^  were  still  in  sight  of  them,  though  at  a  tolerably 
lafe  distance,  and  now  saw  a  group  of  them  standing 


DARING    ENTERPRISES  OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN.        209 

near  several  men  who  had  been  wounded,  perhaps  some 
killed,  by  that  irrepressible'  stick  of  wood. 

''  Our  damages  were  a  few  bruises  each,  but  no  serious 
hurts.  Our  engine  suffered  the  loss  of  the  pilot,  or  cow- 
catcher, and  head  light ;  the  front  of  the  smoke-box  was 
stove  in,  besides  sundry  dents  and  bruises  on  the  brass 
casings  of  the  cylinders ;  but  for  running  purposes  was 
absolutely  uninjured.  The  rebels  haviilg  piled  the  logs 
squarely  across  the  top  of  the  track,  the  point  of  the 
cow-catcher  had  gone  under  them,  and  though  broken 
by  the  shock,  had  raised  them  sufficiently  to  keep  them 
from  under  the  wheels,  while  the  engine  dashed  them 
right  and  left  into  the  gorge. 

"  The  rebels,  seeing  us  stop,  started  in  pursuit ;  but  as 
we  found  nothing  serious  to  impede  our  further  progress, 
and,  as  in  their  case,  *  distance  lent  enchantment  to  the 
view,'  we  were  off  again  in  high  spirits,  and  without 
further  adventure  worth  recounting,  arrived  safely  at 
our  destination. 

"  Poor  Joe,  after  being  shot  at  so  often  as  to  have 
acquired  a  sovereign  contempt  for  rebel  bullets,  was 
shot  dead  about  a  year  ago,  while  running  a  government 
engine  near  Chattar'DOga." 

14 


210        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 


ZAGONYrS  CHARGE. 

The  charge  of  Fremont's  Body-Guard  aud  the  Prairie 
Scouts  of  Major  Frank  White,  upon  the  rebel  garrison 
in  Springfield,  Missouri,  under  the  leadership  of  Major 
Charles  Zagonyi,  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 
daring  and  gallant  achievements  of  the  wai. 

Charles  Zagonyi  was  a  Hungarian  refugee  who,  like 
fio  many  of  his  countrymen,  had  fled  to  this  country 
after  the  suppression  of  the  revolution  in  his  native 
country  by  the  iron  hand  of  the  Russian  Czar.  His 
daring  character  brought  the  young  officer  to  the  notice 
of  the  invincible  General  Bem,  by  whom  he  was  placed 
in  command  of  a  troop  of  picked  cavalry  for  extraordinary 
service.  His  story,  after  that  hour,  up  to  the  date  of 
his  capture  by  the  enemy,  was  one  of  unparalleled 
daring.  His  last  act  was  to  charge  upon  a  heavy  artillery 
force.  Over  one  half  of  his  men  were  killed  and  the 
rest  made  prisoners,  but  not  until  after  the  enemy  had 
euflfered  terribly.  He  was  then  confined  in  an  Austrian 
dungeon,  and  finally  released,  at  the  end  of  two  years, 
to  go  into  exile  in  America. 

Fremont  drew  around  him  a  large  number  of  such  re- 
fugees from  European  tyranny,  and  found  in  thera  men 
of  great  value,  in  all  departments  of  the  service. 
Zagonyi  enlisted  three  hundred  carefully  chosen  men, 
who,  as  a  ''  Body-Guard,"  served  as  pioneers  and  scouts 
in  Fremont's  advance.  The  exploit  at  Spring-field  was 
only  one  of  many  similar  services  for  which  they  were 
designated  by  Fremont;  but,  the  suspension  of  his  com- 
mand in  Missouri  broke  up  the  Guard,  and  Zagonyi  with* 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        211 

drew  from  the  service  until  his  leader  should   again  be 
given  a  command. 

The  Guard  was  mounted,  and  was  armed  with  German 
sabres  and  revolvers — the  first  company  only  having 
carbines.  The  horses  were  all  bay  in  color,  and  were 
chosen  with  special  reference  to  speed  and  endurance. 

The  expedition  to  Springfield  was  planned,  as  it  after- 
ward appeared,  upon  false  information.  Instead  of 
Springfield  being  held  by  a  small  force,  it  was  in  posses- 
sion of  twelve  hundred  infantry  and  four  hundred  cavalry. 
Major  Frank  White  had  been  ordered  by  General  Sigel 
to  make  a  reconnoissance  toward  Springfield — the  Union 
army  then  being  at  Camp  Haskell,  south  of  the  Pomme 
de  Terre  river,  thirty-four  miles  from  Warsaw  and  fifty- 
one  from  Springfield.  The  major  had  just  come  in  with 
his  dashing  "  Prairie  Scouts,"  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
strung,  from  their  gallant  dash  into  Lexington ;  and  the 
order  to  strike  out  for  the  reconnoissance  found  them 
jaded  from  over  service.  The  major,  however,  put  out, 
and  was  far  on  his  way  w^hen,  on  the  24th  (of  October), 
he  was  joined  by  Zagonyi,  who  assumed  command  of  the 
expedition,  by  order  of  Fremont.  Zagonyi  had  with 
him  one  half  of  his  Guard,  provided  with  only  one  ration. 
The  march  to  Springfield  was  to  be  forced,  in  order  that 
the  enemy  should  be  surprised  and  the  place  secured 
before  rebel  reinforcements  could  reach  it.  The  com- 
bined Scouts  and  Guard  marched  all  Thursday  (October 
24th)  night;  briefly  rested  Friday  morning,  then  pushed 
on  and  were  before  Springfield  at  three  p.  m.  on  the  25th 
— the  fifty-one  miles  having  been  accomplished  in  eigh- 
teen hours. 

Eight  miles  from  Springfield  five  mounted  rebels  wer« 


212        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

caught ;  a  sixth  escaped  and  gave  the  alarm  to  the  forces 
in  the  town,  whose  strength,  Zagonyi  learned  from  a 
Union  farmer,  was  fully  two  thousand  strong.  Nothing 
was  left  but  a  retreat  or  bold  dash.  Zagonyi  did  not 
hesitate.  His  men  responded  to  his  own  spirit  fully, 
and  were  eager  for  the  adventure,  let  it  result  as  it 
would.  Major  White  was  so  ill  from  overwork  that,  at 
Zagonyi's  entreaty,  he  reman  led  at  a  farm-house  for  a 
brief  rest.  The  Union  farmer  offered  to  pilot  the  Body- 
Guard  around  to  the  Mount  Vernon  approach  on  the 
West — thus  hoping  to  effect  a  surprise  in  that  direction, 
as  the  enemy  was,  doubtless,  aligned  to  receive  the  as- 
sault on  the  Boliver  road,  on  the  North.  Of  this  detour 
White  knew  nothing,  and  after  his  rest  he  pushed  on 
with  his  guard  of  five  men  and  a  lieutenant,  to  overtake 
his  troops.  He  travelled  up  to  the  very  outskirts  of  the 
town,  and  yet  did  not  come  up  to  his  men.  Supposing 
them  in  possession  of  the  pla."'e,  he  kept  on  and  soon 
found  himself  in  a  rebel  camp — a  prisoner.  He  wiia 
immediately  surrounded  by  a  crew  of  savages,  who  at 
once  resolved  to  have  his  life.  Captain  Wroton,  a  rebel 
officer,  only  saved  the  Federal  officer  and  his  men  from 
murder  by  swearing  to  protect  them  with  his  life.  The 
blood  thirsty  wretches  were  only  kept  at  bay  by  the 
constant  presence  of  Wroton. 

The  particulars  of  the  charge  aie  given  by  Major 
Dorsheimer  in  his  admirable  papers  on  Fremont's  Cam- 
paign, in  the  Atlantic  MontJily : 

The  foe  were  advised  of  the  intended  attack.  When 
Major  White  was  brought  intD  their  camp,  they  were 
preparing  to  defend  their  position.     As  appears  from  the 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        213 

confession  of  prisoners,  they  had  twenty-two  hundred 
men,  of  whom  four  hundred  were  cavahy,  the  rest  being 
infiintry,  armed  with  shot  guns,  American  rifles,  and 
revolvers.  Twelve  hundred  of  their  foot  were  posted 
along  the  edge  of  the  wood  upon  the  crest  of  the  hill. 
The  cavalry  was  stationed  upon  the  extreme  left,  on  top 
of  a  spur  of  the  hill,  and  in  front  of  a  patch  of  timber. 
Sharpshooters  were  concealed  behind  the  trees  close  to 
the  fence  alongside  the  lane,  and  a  small  number  in 
some  underbrush  near  the  foot  of  the  hill.  Another 
detachment  guarded  their  train,  holding  possession  of 
the  county  fair  ground,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  high 
board  fence. 

This  position  was  unassailable  by  cavalry  from  the 
road,  the  only  point  of  attack  being  down  the  lane  on 
the  right ;  and  the  enemy  were  so  disposed  as  to  com- 
mand this  approach  perfectly.  The  lane  was  a  blind 
one,  being  closed,  after  passing  the  brook,  by  fences  and 
ploughed  land  :  it  was  in  fact  a  cul-de-sac.  If  the  in- 
fantry should  stand,  nothing  could  save  the  rash  assail- 
ants. There  are  horsemen  sufficient  Id  sweep  the  little 
band  before  them  as  helplessly  as  the  withered  forest- 
leaves  in  the  grasp  of  the  autumn  winds ;  there  are  dead- 
ly marksmen  lying  behind  the  trees  upon  the  heights  and 
lurking  in  the  long  grass  upon  the  lowlands;  while  a 
long  line  of  foot  stand  upon  the  summit  of  the  slope, 
who,  only  stepping  a  few  paces  back  into  the  forest,  may 
defy  the  boldest  riders.  Yet,  down  this  narrow  lane,  lead- 
ing into  the  very  jaws  of  death,  came  the  three  hundred. 

On  the  prairie,  at  the  edge  of  the  woodland  in  which 
he  knew  his  wily  foe  lay  hidden,  Zagonyi  halted  his 
"ommand.     He   spurred    '^.long   the  line.     With   eager 


214        DARIXG    ExVTERPRISES    OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN. 

glance  be  scanned  each  horse  and  rider.  To  his  officers 
he  gave  the  simple  order,  "  Follow  me !  do  as  I  do  !" 
and  then,  drawing  up  in  front  of  his  men,  with  a  voice 
tremulous  and  shrill  with  emotion,  he  spoke: 

"  Fellow-soldiers,  comrades,  brothers  !  This  is  your 
first  battle.  For  our  three  hundred,  the  enemy  are  two 
thousand.  If  any  of  you  are  sick,  or  tired  by  the  long 
march,  or  if  any  think  that  the  number  is  too  great, 
now  is  the  time  to  turn  back."  He  paused — no  one  was 
sick  or  tired.  "  We  must  not  retreat.  Our  honor,  the 
honor  of  our  general  and  our  country,  tell  us  to  go  on. 
I  will  lead  you.  We  have  been  called  holiday  soldiers 
for  the  pavements  of  St.  Louis ;  to  day  we  will  show 
that  we  are  soldiers  for  the  battle.  Your  watchword 
shall  be — '  TJie  Union  and  Fremont  f  Draw  sabre !  By 
the  right  flank — quick  trot — march  !' 

Bright  swords  flashed  in  the  sunshine,  a  passionate 
ehout  burst  from  every  lip,  and  wdth  one  accord,  the 
trot  passing  into  a  gallop,  the  compact  column  swept  on 
in  its  deadly  purpose.  Most  of  them  were  boys.  A 
few  weeks  before  they  had  left  their  homes.  Those 
who  were  cool  enough  to  note  it  say  that  ruddy  cheeks 
grew  pale,  and  fiery  eyes  Avere  dimmed  with  tears. 
Who  shall  tell  what  thoughts,  ^vhat  visions  of  peaceful 
cottages  nestling  among  the  groves  of  Kentucky,  or 
shining  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Illinois — 
what  sad  recollections  of  tearful  farewells,  of  tender, 
loving  faces,  filled  their  minds  during  those  fearful 
moments  of  suspense  ?  No  word  was  spoken.  With 
lips  compressed,  firmly  clenching  their  sword-hilts,  with 
quick  tramp  of  hoofs  and  clang  of  steel,  honor  leading 
and  glory  awaiting  t^em,  the  young  soldiers  flew  for- 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        2 1 -'i 

ward,  each  brave  rider  and  each  straining  steed  mem- 
bers of  one  huge  creature,  enormous,  terrible,  irresifj- 
tible. 

" '  Twere  worth  ten  years  of  peaceful  life, 
One  glance  at  their  array." 

They  pass  the  fair  ground.  They  are  at  the  corner 
of  the  Lane  where  the  wood  begins.  It  runs  close  to 
the  fence  on  their  left  for  a  hundred  yards,  and  beyond 
it  they  see  white  tents  gleaming.  They  are  half  way 
past  the  forest,  when,  sharp  and  loud,  a  volley  of 
musketry  bursts  upon  the  head  of  the  column ;  horses 
stagger,  riders  reel  and  fall,  but  the  troop  presses  for- 
ward undismayed.  The  farther  corner  of  the  wood 
is  reached,  and  Zagonyi  beholds  the  terrible  array. 
Amazed,  he  involuntarily  checks  his  horse.  The  rebels 
are  not  surprised.  There  to  his  left  they  stand  crown- 
ing the  height,  foot  and  horse  ready  to  engulph  him,  if 
he  shall  be  rash  enough  to  go  on.  The  road  he  is  fol- 
lowing declines  rapidly.  There  is  but  one  thing  to  do 
— run  the  gauntlet,  gain  the  cover  of  the  hill,  and  charge 
up  the  steep.  These  thoughts  pass  quicker  than  they 
can  be  told.  He  waves  his  sabre  over  his  head,  and 
shouting,  "  Forward  !  follow  me  !  quick  trot !  gallop !" 
he  dashes  headlong  down  the  stony  road.  The  first 
company,  and  most  of  the  second  follow.  From  the 
left  a  thousand  muzzles  belch  forth  a  hissing  flood  of 
bullets ;  the  poor  fellows  clutch  wildly  at  the  air  and 
fall  from  their  saddles,  and  maddened  horses  throw 
themselves  against  the  fences.  Their  speed  is  not  for 
an  instant  checked  ;  farther  down  the  hill  they  fly,  like 
wasps  dri  ven  by  the  leaden  storm.     Sharp  volleys  pniir 


216       OARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

out  of  the  underbrush  at  the  left,  clearing  wide  gaps 
through  their  ranks.  They  leap  the  brook,  take  down 
the  fence,  and  draw  up  under  shelter  of  the  hill. 
Zagonyi  looks  around  him,  and  to  his  horror  sees  that 
only  a  fourth  of  his  men  are  with  him.  He  cries, 
**  They  do  not  come — we  are  lost !"  and  frantically 
waves  his  sabre. 

He  has  not  long  to  wait.  The  delay  of  the  rest  of  the 
Guard  was  not  from  hesitation.  When  Captain  Foley 
reached  the  lower  corner  of  the  wood  and  saw  the 
enemy's  lines,  he  thought  a  flank  attack  might  be  ad- 
vantageously made.  He  ordered  some  men  to  dismount 
and  take  down  the  fence.  This  was  done  under  a 
severe  fire.  Several  men  fell,  and  he  found  the  woods 
so  dense  that  it  could  not  be  penetrated.  Looking 
down  the  hill,  he  saw  the  flash  of  Zagonyi's  sabre,  and 
at  once  gave  the  order,  "Forward  !"  At  the  same  time, 
Lieutenant  Kennedy,  a  stalwart  Kentuckian,  shouted, 
"  Come  on,  boys !  remember  Old  Kentucky !"  and  the 
third  company  of  the  Guard — fire  on  every  side  of  them 
— from  behind  trees,  from  under  the  fences — with  thun- 
dering strides  and  loud  cheers — poured  down  the  slope 
and  rushed  to  the  side  of  Zagonyi.  They  have  lost 
seventy  dead  and  wounded  men,  and  the  carcasses  of 
horses  are  strewn  along  the  lane.  Kennedy  is  wounded 
in  the  arm,  and  lies  upon  the  stones,  his  faithful 
charger  standing  motionless  beside  him.  Lieutenant 
Gofi"  received  a  wound  in  the  thigh ;  he  kept  his  seat, 
and  cried  out,  "The  devils  have  hit  me,  but  I  will  give 
it  to  them  yet !" 

The  remnant  of  the  Guard  are  now  in  the  field  under 
the  hill,  and  from  the  shape  of  the  ground  the  rebel  fire 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        217 

sweeps  with  the  roar  of  a  whirlwind  over  their  heads. 
Here  we  will  leave  them  for  a  moment,  and  trace  the 
fortunes  of  the  Prairie  Scouts. 

When  Foley  brought  his  troop  to  a  halt,  Captain 
Fairbanks,  at  the  head  of  the  first  company  of  Scouts, 
was  at  the  point  where  the  first  volley  of  musketr}'  had 
been  received.  The  narrow  lane  was  crowded  by  a 
dense  mass  of  struggling  horses,  and  filled  with  tJie 
tumult  of  battle.  Captain  Fairbanks  says,  and  he  is 
corroborated  by  several  of  his  men  who  were  near,  that 
at  this  moment  an  officer  of  the  Guard  rode  up  to  him 
and  said,  "  They  are  fl3nng ;  take  your  men  down  that 
lane  and  cut  off  their  retreat" — pointing  to  the  lane  at 
the  left.  Captain  Fairbanks  was  not  able  to  identify 
the  person  who  gave  this  order.  It  certainly  did  not 
come  from  Zagonyi,  who  was  several  hundred  yards 
farther  on.  Captain  Fairbanks  executed  the  order,  fol- 
lowed by  the  second  company  of  Prairie  Scouts,  under 
Captain  Kehoe.  When  this  movement  was  made.  Cap- 
tain Naughton,  with  the  Third  Irish  dragoons,  had  not 
reached  the  corner  of  the  lane.  He  came  up  at  a 
gallop,  and  was  about  to  follow  Fairbanks,  when  he  saw 
a  Guardsman,  who  pointed  in  the  direction  in  which 
Zagonyi  had  gone.  He  took  this  for  an  order,  and 
obeyed  it.  When  he  reached  the  gap  in  the  fence, 
made  by  Foley,  not  seeing  any  thing  of  the  Guard,  he 
supposed  they  had  passed  through  at  that  place,  and 
gallantly  attempted  to  follow.  Thirteen  men  fell  in  a 
few  minutes.  He  was  shot  in  the  arm  and  dismounted. 
Lieutenant  Connolly  spurred  into  the  underbrush,  and 
received  two  balls  through  the  lungs  and  one  in  the 
left  shoulder.     The  dragoons,  at  the  outset  not  more 


218        DAKING   EXTERPKISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    XTEN. 

than  fifty  strong,  were  broken,  and,  dispirited  by  the 
loss  of  their  officers,  retired.  A  sergeant  rallied  a  few 
and  brought  them  up  to  the  gap  again,  and  they  were 
again  driven  back.  Five  of  the  boldest  passed  down 
the  hill,  joined  Zagonyi,  and  were  conspicuous  for  their 
valor  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  Fairbanks  and  Kehoe, 
having  gained  the  rear  and  left  of  tlie  enemy's  position, 
made  two  or  three  assaults  upon  detached  parties  of  the 
foe,  but  did  not  join  in  the  main  attack. 

I  now  return  to  the  Guard.  It  is  forming  under 
the  shelter  of  the  hill.  In  front,  with  a  gentle  incli- 
nation, rises  a  grassy  slope,  broken  by  occasional  tree- 
stumps.  A  line  of  fire  upon  the  summit  marks  the 
position  of  the  rebel  infantry,  and  nearer  and  on  the 
top  of  a  lower  eminence  to  the  right  stand  their  horse. 
Up  to  this  time  no  Guardsman  has  struck  a  blow,  but 
blue  coats  and  bay  horses  lie  thick  along  the  bloody 
lane.  Their  time  has  come.  Lieutenant  Maythenyi 
with  thirty  men  is  ordered  to  attack  the  cavalry.  AVith 
sabres  flashing  over  their  heads,  the  little  band  of 
heroes  spring  toward  their  tremendous  foe.  Right  upon 
the  centre  they  charge.  The  dense  mass  opens,  the 
blue  coats  force  their  way  in,  and  the  whole  rebel  squad- 
ron scatter  in  disgraceful  flight  through  the  cornfields  in 
the  rear.  The  boys  follow  them  sabering  the  fugitives. 
Days  after,  the  enemy's  horses  lay  thick  among  the  un- 
cut corn. 

Zagonyi  holds  his  main  body  until  Maythenyi  disap- 
pears  in  the  cloud  of  rebel  cavalry;  then  his  voice 
rises  through  the  air :  "  In  open  order — charge  !"  The 
line  opens  out  to  give  play  to  their  sword-arm.  Steeds 
respond  to  the  ardor  of  their  riders,  and  quick  as  thought, 


DAKING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        219 

with  thrilling  cheers,  the  noble  hearts  rush  into  the 
leaden  torrent  which  pours  down  the  incline.  With  un- 
abated fire  the  gallant  fellows  press  through.  Their 
fierce  onset  is  not  even  checked.  The  foe  do  not  wait 
for  them — they  waver,  break,  and  fly.  The  Guards- 
men spur  into  the  midst  of  the  rout,  and  their  fast- 
falling  swords  work  a  terrible  revenge.  Some  of  the 
boldest  of  the  Southrons  retreat  into  the  woods,  and 
continue  a  murderous  fire  from  behind  trees  and  thickets. 
Seven  Guard  horses  fill  upon  a  space  not  more  than 
twenty  feet  square.  As  his  steed  sinks  under  him,  one 
of  the  officers  is  caught  around  the  shoulders  by  a  grape- 
vine, and  hangs  dangling  in  the  air  until  he  is  cut  down 
by  his  friends. 

The  rebel  foot  are  flying  in  furious  haste  from  the 
field.  Some  take  refuge  in  the  fair  ground,  some  hurry 
into  the  cornfields,  but  the  greater  part  run  along  the 
edge  of  the  wood,  swarm  over  the  fence  into  the  road, 
and  hasten  to  the  village.  The  Guardsmen  follow. 
Zagonyi  leads  them.  Over  the  loudest  roar  of  battle 
rings  his  clarion  voice — "  Come  on.  Old  Kentuck !  Fm 
with  you  !"  And  the  flash  of  his  sword-blade  tells  hia 
men  where  to  go.  As  he  approaches  a  barn,  a  man 
steps  from  behind  a  door  and  lowers  his  rifle  ;  but  before 
it  has  reached  a  level,  Zagonyi's  sabre-point  descends 
upon  his  head,  and  his  life-bloody  leaps  to  the  very  top 
of  the  huge  barn-door. 

The  conflict  now  raged  through  the  village — in  the 
public  square,  and  along  the  streets.  Up  and  down  the 
Guards  ride  in  squads  of  three  or  four,  and  wherever 
they   see  a    gro  ip    of   the    enemy,  charge  upon    and 


220         DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

scatter  tliem.  It  is  hand  to  hand.  No  one  hut  has  a 
chare  in  the  fray. 

There  was  at  least  one  soldier  in  the  Southern  ranks. 
A  young  officer,  superbly  mounted,  charges  alone  upon 
a  large  body  of  the  Guard.  He  passes  through  the  line 
unscathed,  killing  one  man.  He  wheels,  charges  back, 
and  again  breaks  through,  killing  another  man.  A 
third  time  he  rushes  uj)Ou  the  Federal  line,  a  score  of- 
sabre-points  confront  him,  a  cloud  of  bullets  fly  around 
him,  but  he  pushes  on  until  he  reaches  Zagonyi — he 
presses  his  pistol  so  close  to  the  major's  side,  that  he 
feels  it,  and  draws  convulsively  back,  the  bullet  passes 
through  the  front  of  Zagonyi's  coat,  who  at  the  instant 
runs  the  daring  rebel  through  the  body;  he  falls,  and 
the  men,  thinking  their  commander  hurt,  kill  him  with 
a  dozen  wounds. 

"He  was  a  brave  man,"  said  Zagonyi  afterward, 
"  and  I  did  wish  to  make  him  prisoner." 

Meanwhile  it  has  grown  dark.  The  foe  have  left  the 
village,  and  the  battle  has  ceased.  The  assembly  is 
sounded,  and  the  Guard  gathers  in  the  Plaza.  Not 
more  than  eighty  mounted  men  appear :  the  rest  are 
killed,  wounded,  or  unhorsed.  At  this  time  one  of  the 
most  characteristic  incidents  of  the  afiair  took  place. 

Just  before  the  charge,  Zagonyi  directed  one  of  his 
buglers,  a  Frenchman,  to  sound  a  signal.  The  bugler 
did  not  seem  to  pay  any  attention  to  the  order,  but 
darted  off  with  Lieutenant  Maythenyi.  A  few  moments 
afterward  he  was  observed  in  another  part  of  the  field 
vigorously  pursuing  the  flying  infantry.  His  active 
form  was  alwaj-s  seen  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  When 
the  line  was  forme(/  in  the  Plaza,  Zagonyi  noticed  the 


PARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.         22J 

bugler,  and  approaching  him,  said  :  "  Tii  the  midst  of 
battle  you  disobeyed  my  order.  You  are  unworthy  to 
be  a  member  of  the  Guard.  I  dismiss  you."  The  bugler 
showed  liis  bugle  to  his  indignant  commander — the 
mouth-piece  of  the  instrument  was  shot  away.  He 
said :  **  The  mouth  was  shoot  off.  I  could  not  bugle 
viz  mon  bugle,  and  so  I  bugle  viz  mon  pistol  and 
sabre."  It  is  unnecessary  to  add,  the  brave  Frenchman 
was  not  dismissed. 

I  must  nol  forget  to  mention  Sergeant  Hunter,  of  the 
Kentucky  company.  His  soldierly  figure  never  failed 
to  attract  the  eye  in  the  ranks  of  the  Guard.  He  had 
served  in  the  regular  cavalry,  and  the  Body-Guard  had 
profited  greatly  from  his  skill  as  a  drill  master.  He 
lost  three  horses  in  the  fight.  As  soon  as  one  was 
killed,  he  caught  another  from  the  rebels :  the  third 
horse  taken  by  him  in  this  way  he  rode  into  St.  Louis. 

The  sergeant  slew  five  men.  "  I  wont  speak  of  those 
I  shot,"  said  he — "  another  may  have  hit  them ;  but 
those  I  touched  with  my  sabre  I  am  sure  of,  because  ] 
felt  them." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  charge,  he  came  to  the 
extreme  right,  and  took  position  next  to  Zagonyi,  whom 
he  followed  closely  through  the  battle.  The  major  see- 
ing him,  said  : 

"  Why  are  you  here,  Sergeant  Hunter?  Your  place 
is  with  your  company  on  the  left.'* 

"  I  kind  o'  wanted  to  be  in  the  front,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  What  could  I  say  to  such  a  man  ?"  exclaimed, 
Zagonyi,  speaking  of  the  matter  afterward. 

There  was  hardly  a  hor?^  or  rider  among  the  sur 


222        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN. 

vivois  that  did  not  bring  away  some  mark  of  the  fray. 
T  saw  one  animal  with  no  less  than  seven  wounds — 
none  of  them  serious.  Scabbards  were  bent,  clothes  and 
caps  pierced,  pistols  injured.  I  saw  one  pistol  from 
which  the  sight  had  been  cut  as  neatly  as  it  could  have 
been  done  by  machinery.  A  piece  of  board  a  few  inches 
long  was  cut  from  a  fence  on  the  field,  in  which  there 
were  thirty-one  shot  holes. 

It  was  now  nine  o'clock.  The  wounded  had  beeo 
earned  to  the  hospital.  The  dismounted  troopers  were 
placed  in  charge  of  them — in  the  double  capacity  of 
nurses  and  guards.  Zagonyi  expected  the  foe  to  return 
every  minute.  It  seemed  like  madness  to  try  and 
hold  the  town  with  his  small  force,  exhausted  by  the 
long  march  and  desperate  fight.  He  therefore  left 
Springfield,  and  retired  before  morning  twenty-five  miles 
on  the  Bolivar  road. 

Captain  Fairbanks  did  not  see  liis  commander  after 
leaving  the  column  in  the  lane,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  engagement.  About  dusk  he  repaired  to  the 
prairie,  find  remained  there  within  a  mile  of  the  village 
until  midnight,  when  ho  followed  Zagonyi,  rejoining 
him  in  the  morning. 

I  will  now  return  to  Major  White.  During  the  con- 
flict upon  the  hill,  he  ^as  in  the  forest  near  the  front 
of  the  rebel  line  Here  his  horse  was  shot  under  him. 
Captain  Wroton  kept  careful  watch  over  him.  When 
the  flight  began  he  hurried  White  away,  and,  accom- 
panied b}^  a  squad  of  eleven  men,  took  him  ten  miles 
into  the  country.  They  stopped  at  a  farm-house  for  the 
night.  White  discovered  that  their  host  was  a  Union 
man.     His  paro  e  having  expired,  he  took  advantage  of 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN.        223 

the  iriomcntnry  absence  of  his  captor  to  speak  to  the 
farmer,  telling  him  who  he  was,  and  asking  him  to  send 
for  assistance.  The  countryman  mounted  his  son  upon 
his  swiftest  horse,  and  sent  him  for  succor.  The  party 
lay  down  by  the  fire,  White  being  placed  in  the  midst. 
The  rebels  were  soon  asleep,  but  there  was  no  sleep  foi 
the  major.  He  listened  anxiously  for  the  footsteps  of 
his  rescuers.  After  long  weary  hours,  he  heard  the 
tran^p  of  horses.  He  arose,  and  walking  on  tiptoe,  cau- 
tiously stepping  over  his  sleeping  guard,  he  reached  the 
door  and  silently  unfastened  it.  The  Union  men  rushed 
into  the  room  and  took  the  astonished  Wroton  and  his 
followers  prisoners.  At  daybreak  White  rode  into  Spring- 
field at  the  head  of  his  captives  and  a  motley  band  of 
Home  Guards.  He  found  the  Federals  still  in  possession 
of  the  place.  As  the  officer  of  highest  rank,  he  took 
command.  His  garrison  consisted  of  twenty-four  men. 
He  stationed  twenty-two  of  them  as  pickets  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  village,  and  held  the  other  two  as  a  reserve. 
At  noon  the  enemy  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  bury  their  dead.  Major  White  received  the 
flag  with  proper  ceremony,  but  said  that  General  Sigel 
was  in  command  and  the  request  would  have  to  be  re- 
ferred to  him.  Sigel  was  then  forty  miles  away.  In  a 
short  time  a  written  communication  purporting  to  comp 
from  General  Sigel  arrived,  saying  that  the  rebels  migh. 
send  a  party  under  certain  restrictions  to  bury  their 
dead  :  White  drew  in  some  of  his  pickets,  stationed  them 
about  the  field,  and  under  their  surveillance  the  Southern 
dead  were  buried. 

The  loss  of  the  enemy,  as  reported  by  some  of  their 
working  party,  was  one  hundred    and    sixteen  killed 


224       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

The  number  of  wounded  could  not  be  ascertained,  Aftei 
the  conflict  had  drifted  away  from  the  hill-side,  some  of 
the  foe  had  returned  to  the  field,  taken  away  their  woun- 
ded and  robbed  our  dead.  The  loss  of  the  Guard  was 
fifty-three  out  of  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  actually 
engaged,  twelve  men  having  been  left  by  Zagonyi  in 
charge  of  his  train.  The  Prairie  Scouts  reported  a  loss 
of  thirty -one  out  of  one  hundred  and  thirty :  half  of 
these  belonged  to  the  Irish  Dragoons.  In  a  neighboring 
field  an  Irishman  was  found  stark  and  stifi",  still  cling- 
ing to  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  which  was  thrust  through 
the  body  of  a  rebel  who  lay  beside  him.  Within  a  few 
feet  a  second  rebel  lav  shot  throu^ch  the  head. 


THE  PASSAGE  OF  THE  PORT  HUDSON  BATTERIES. 

The  rebels  had  blockaded  the  Mississippi  from  the 
beginning  of  the  war  with  their  batteries.  In  the  pro- 
gress of  the  war  Farragut  had  captured  the  batteries 
below  New  Orleans,  and  above  as  far  as  Prophet's 
Island,  just  below  Port  Hudson,  and  Foote,  Davis,  and 
Porter  had  made  a  conquest  of  the  batteries  above 
Vicksburg,  leaving  only  the  Vicksburg,  Warrenton,  and 
Port  Hudson  batteries — a  distance  of  two  hundred  aTid 
thirty-two  miles  by  the  river.  Of  these,  the  batteries  at 
Port  Hudson  were,  with  the  exception  of  those  at 
Vicksburg,  the  most  formidable  on  the  river. 

The  blufij  rising  forty  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
nver,  waf  covered  with  forts  for  a  distance  of  nearly 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        Ii25 

ibiir  miles,  constructed  upon  the  most  scientific  princi- 
ples of  modern  military  art,  and  armed  with  the  most 
approved  and  heaviest  ordnance  which  England,  seeking 
the  ruin  of  the  republic,  could  furnish  the  rebels.  The 
river,  just  at  the  bend,  suddenly  narrows,  and  the  cur- 
/ent,  striking  upon  the  west  bank,  is  thrown  across, 
running  with  great  velocity,  and  carrying  the  channel 
almost  directly  under  the  base  of  the  precipitous  cliffs. 
Any  vessel  attempting  the  passage  would  be  comjoelled 
to  run  the  gauntlet  of  a  plunging  fire  from  batteries 
which  commanded  the  range  for  several  miles  above  and 
below. 

It  was  proposed,  in  order  that  the  fleet  might  be  able 
to  co-operate  with  General  Grant  in  the  siege  of  Vicks- 
burg,  to  attack  Port  Hudson,  and,  under  the  fire  of  the 
bombardment,  to  attempt  to  force  a  passage  by  several 
of  our  gunboats  up  the  river. 

To  Rear-Admiral  Farragut,  already  renowned  for  his 
naval  victory  at  Forts  St.  Philip  and  Jackson,  was 
assigned  the  work  of  attacking  and  passing  this  formid- 
able river  fortress.  The  fleet  consisted  of  the  flag-ship 
*'  Hartford,"  a  fine  sloop-of-war,  carrying  twenty-six 
guns ;  the  "  Richmond,"  a  vessel  of  the  same  class  and 
armament ;  the  side-wheel  steamship  "  Mississippi,"  with 
twenty-two  eight  and  nine  inch  guns ;  the  *'  Mononga- 
hela,"  a  smaller  steam  sloop-of-war,  with  sixteen  heavy 
guns;  and  the  gunboats  "  Kineo,"  ''Albatross,"  "  Sachem," 
and  ''Genesee,"  each  carrying  three  columbiads,  and 
two  rifled  thirty-two  pounders,  togethei  with  six  mortar 
boats,  intended  to  assist  in  the  bombardment,  but  not 
to  attempt  the  passage  of  the  batteries. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  April,  the  squadron 

15 


226       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

having  ascended  the  river  from  New  Orleans,  anchored 
off  Prophet's  Ishand,  and  the  mortar  boats  took  their 
position,  and  early  in  the  afternoon  commenced  a 
vigorous  bombardment  of  the  rebel  works.  At  half-past 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  red  light  from  the  flag- 
ship signaled  the  ships  and  gunboats  to  weigh  anchor. 
The  "  Hartford"  led,  the  "Albatross"  being  lashed  on 
her  starboard  side ;  the  "  Richmond"  followed,  having 
the  "Genesee"  lashed  to  her;  next  came  the  "  Monon- 
gahela"  and  the  "  Kineo,"  while  the  "  Mississippi"  and 
the  "  Sachem"  brought  up  the  rear.  The  mortar  boats, 
from  their  sheltered  anchorage,  were  prepared  to  renew 
their  bombardment  with  marked  effect  so  soon  as  it 
should  be  necessary. 

Signal  lights  were  flashing  along  the  rebel  batteries, 
showing  that  they  were  awake  to  the  movements  of  the 
Union  squadron.  Soon  the  gleam  of  a  fire  kindled  by 
the  rebels  was  seen,  which  blazed  higher  and  more  bril- 
liant till  its  flashes  illumined  the  whole  river  opposite 
the  batteries  with  the  light  of  day.  This  immense  bon- 
fire was  directly  in  front  of  the  most  formidable  of  the 
fortifications,  and  every  vessel  ascending  the  stream 
would  be  compelled  to  pass  in  the  full  blaze  of  its  light, 
exposed  to  the  concentrated  fire  of  the  heaviest  ord- 
nance. Still  it  was  hoped,  notwithstanding  the  desper- 
ate nature  of  the  enterprise,  that  a. few  at  least  of  the 
vessels  of  the  squadron  would  be  able  to  effect  a 
passage. 

Silently  in  the  darkness  the  boats  steamed  along, 
•mtil  a  rebel  field-piece,  buried  in  the  foliage  of  the 
shore,  opened  fire  upon  the  "Hartford."  The  challenge 
thus   given   was   promptly   accepted,  and   a  broadside 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        "J  1^7 

volley  was  returned  upon  the  unseen  foe.  The  rebel 
batteries,  protected  by  strong  redoubts,  extended,  as  we 
have  mentioned,  with  small  intervening  spaces,  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  four  miles,  often  rising  in  tier  above  tier 
on  the  ascending  bluff.  Battery  after  battery  immedi- 
ately opened  its  fire ;  the  hill-sides  seemed  peopled  with 
demons  hurling  their  thunderbolts,  while  the  earth 
trembled  beneath  the  incessant  and  terrific  explosions. 
And  now  the  mortar  boats  uttered  their  awful  roar,  add- 
ing to  the  inconceivable  sublimity  of  the  scene.  An 
eye-witness  thus  describes  the  appearance  of  the  mam- 
moth shells  rising  and  descending  in  their  majestic 
curve : 

"  Never  shall  I  forget  the  sight  that  then  mot  my 
astonished  vision.  Shooting  upward,  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees,  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  small 
globes  of  golden  flame  were  seen  sailing  through  the 
pure  ether — not  a  steady,  unfading  flame,  but  coruscat- 
ing like  the  fitful  gleam  of  a  fire-fly,  now  visible  and 
anon  invisible.  Like  a  flying  star  of  the  sixth  magni- 
tude the  terrible  missile — a  thirteen-inch  shell — nears 
its  zenith,  up  and  still  up,  higher  and  higher.  Its  flight 
now  becomes  much  slower,  till,  on  reaching  its  utmost 
altitude,  its  centrifugal  force  becoming  counteracted  by 
the  earth's  attraction,  it  describes  a  parabolic  curve,  and 
down,  down  it  comes,  bursting,  it  may  be,  ere  it  reaches 
terra  firma,  but  probably  alighting  in  the  rebel  works 
ere  it  explodes,  where  it  scatters  death  and  destruction 
around." 

The  air  was  breathing  gently  from  the  east,  and  dense 
volumes  of  billowy  smoke  hung  over  the  river,  drifting 
slowly  across  in  clouds  which  the  eye  could  not  pene- 


228       DARING    EXTERPRISES   OF   OFFICIRS    AND    MEN. 

trate,  and  adding  greatly  to  the  gloom  and  sublimity 
of  the  scene.  It  strains  a  ship  too  much  to  fire  all  the 
guns  simultaneously.  The  broadsides  were,  conse- 
quentl}',  generally  discharged  by  commencing  with  the 
forward  gun,  and  firing  each  one  in  its  turn  in  the  most 
rapid  manner  possible — as  fast  as  the  ticking  of  a  clock. 
The  effect  of  this  bombardment,  from  ship  and  shore,  as 
described  by  all  who  witnessed  it,  was  grand  and  terrific 
in  the  extreme.  From  the  innumerable  batteries,  very 
skilfully  manned,-  shot  and  shell  fell  upon  the  ships  like 
hail.  Piercing  the  awful  roar,  which  filled  the  air  as 
with  the  voice  of  ten  thousand  thunders,  was  heard  the 
demoniac  shrieks  of  the  shells,  as  if  all  the  demons  of 
the  pit  had  broken  loose,  and  were  revelling  in  hideous 
rage  through  the  darkness  and  the  storm. 

In  the  midst  of  this  scene  of  terror,  conflagration,  and 
death,  as  the  ships  were  struggling  through  the  fire 
against  the  swift  current  of  the  Mississippi,  there  was 
heard  from  the  deck  of  the  "  Richmond,"  coming  up 
from  the  dark,  rushing  stream,  the  cry  of  a  drowning 
man.  "  Help  !  oh,  help  !"  The  unhappy  sufferer  had 
evidently  fallen  from  the  ''  Hartford,"  which  was  in 
advance.  In  such  an  hour  there  could  not  be  even  an 
attempt  made  to  rescue  him.  Again  and  again  the 
agonizing  cry  pierced  the  air,  the  voice  growing  fainter 
and  fainter  as  the  victim  floated  away  in  the  distance, 
until  he  sank  beneath  the  turbid  waves. 

The  whole  arena  of  action,  on  the  land  and  on  the 
water,  was  soon  enveloped  in  a  sulphurous  canopy  of 
smoke,  pierced  incessantly  by  the  vivid  flashes  of  the 
guns.  The  vessels  could  no  longer  discern  each  other 
or  the  hostile  batl  ^ries  on  the  shore      It  became  very 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        229 

difTicult  to  know  how  to  steer;  ,ind  as  in  the  impenetrar 
ble  gloom  the  only  object  at  which  they  could  aim  was 
the  flash  of  the  guns,  tlit  danger  became  imminent  that 
they  might  fire  into  each  other.  This  gave  the  rebels 
great  advantage;  for  with  their  stationary  guns  trained 
upon  the  river,  though  they  fired  into  dense  darkness, 
they  could  hardly  fire  amiss.  Occasionally  a  gust  of 
wind  would  sweep  away  the  smoke,  slightly  reveal- 
ing the  scene  in  the  light  of  the  great  bonfire  on  the 
bluflf.  Again  the  black,  stifling  canopy  would  settle 
down,  and  all  was  Egyptian  darkness. 

At  one  time,  just  as  the  "  Richmond"  was  prepared 
to  pour  a  deadly  fire  into  a  supposed  battery,  whose 
flash  the  gunners  had  just  perceived,  Lieutenant  Terry 
shouted  out,  "Hold  on,  you  are  firing  into  the  ^Hart' 
ford  !' "  Another  quarter  of  a  minute  and  they  would 
have  been  pouring  a  destructive  broadside  into  the  flag- 
ship which  could  scarcely  have  failed  to  sink  her. 

A  shell  from  a  rebel  battery  entered  the  starboard 
port  of  the  "  Richmond,"  and  burst  with  a  terrific  ex- 
plosion directly  under  the  gun.  One  fragment  splin- 
tered the  gun-carriage.  Another  made  a  deep  indenta' 
tion  in  the  gun  itself.  Two  other  fragments  struck  the 
unfortunate  boatswain's  mate,  cutting  off"  both  legs  at 
the  knee,  and  one  arm  at  the  elbow.  He  soon  died, 
with  his  last  breath  saying,  "  Don't  give  up  the  ship, 
lads !"  The  whole  ship  reeled  under  the  concussion  as 
if  tossed  by  an  earthquake. 

The  river  at  Port  Hudson,  as  we  have  mentioned,  makes 
a  majestic  curve.  Rebel  cannon  were  planted  along  the 
concave  brow  of  the  crescent-shaped  bluffs  of  the  eastern 
•hoi'c,  while  beneath  the  blufi",  near  the  water's  edge, 


280        DARING    ENTEKPRISEI.   OF   OFFICERS   AND   Mi;.\. 

(here  was  another  series  of  what  were  called  water  bat- 
teries lining  the  bnnk.  As  the  ships  entered  this  curve, 
following  the  channel  which  swept  close  to  the  eastern 
shore,  they  were,  one  after  the  other,  exposed  to  the 
most  terrible  enfilading  fire  from  all  the  batteries  follow- 
ing the  line  of  the  curve.  This  was  the  most  desperate 
point  of  the  conflict ;  for  here  it  was  almost  literally 
fighting  muzzle  to  muzzle.  The  rebels  discharged  an 
inces.«ant  cross-fire  of  grape  and  canister,  to  which 
the  heroic  squadron  replied  with  double-shotted  guns. 
Never  did  ships  pass  a  more  fiery  ordeal. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Cummings,  the  executive  offi- 
cer of  the  ''Richmond,"  was  standing  with  his  speaking- 
trumpet  in  his  hand  cheering  the  men,  with  Captain 
Alden  by  his  side,  when  there  was  a  simultaneous  flash 
and  roar,  and  a  storm  of  shot  came  crashing  through  the 
bulwarks  from  a  rebel  battery,  which  they  could  almost 
touch  with  their  ramrods.  Both  of  the  officers  fell  as  if 
struck  by  lightning.  The  captain  was  simply  knocked 
down  by  the  windage,  and  escaped  unharmed.  The 
speaking-trumpet  in  Commander  Cummings'  hand  was 
battered  flat,  and  his  left  leg  was  torn  off  just  below  the 
knee. 

As  he  fell  heavily  upon  the  deck,  in  his  gushing  blood, 
he  exclaimed : 

"  Put  a  tourniquet  on  my  leg,  boys.  Send  my  letters 
to  my  wife.     Tell  her  that  I  fell  in  doing  my  duty !" 

As  they  took  him  below,  and  into  the  surgeon's  room, 
already  filled  with  the  wounded,  he  looked  around  upon 
the  unfortunate  group,  and  said : 

"  If  there  are  any  here  hurt  worse  than  I  am  let  them 
be  attended  to  first," 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.  23  J 

His  shattered  limb  was  immediately  amputated  ^'ood 
after,  as  he  lay  upon  his  couch,  exhausted  by  the  opera- 
tion and  faint  from  the  loss  of  blood,  he  heard  the  noise 
of  the  escape  of  steam  as  a  rebel  shot  penetrated  the 
boiler.  Inquiring  the  cause,  and  learning  that  the  ship 
had  become  disabled,  he  exclaimed  with  fervor : 

*'  I  would  willingly  give  my  other  leg  if  we  could  but 
pass  those  batteries !" 

A  few  days  after  this  Christian  hero  died  of  his  wound. 

Just  above  the  batteries  were  several  rebel  gunboats. 
They  did  not  venture  into  the  melee,  but  anxiously 
watched  the  fight,  until,  apprehensive  that  some  of  our 
ships  might  pass,  they  put  on  all  f  earn  and  ran  up  the 
river  as  fast  as  their  web  feet  cc  Ad  carry  them.  But 
now  denser  and  blacker  grew  the  dark  billows  of  smoke. 
It  seemed  impossible,  if  the  sUamers  moved,  to  avoid 
running  into  each  other  or  upon  the  shore.  An  officer 
of  each  ship  placed  himself  at  the  prow,  striving  to  pene- 
trate the  gloom.  A  line  of  men  passed  from  him  to  the 
stern,  along  whom,  even  through  the  thunders  of  the 
battle,  directions  could  be  transmitted  to  the  helmsman 
Should  any  of  the  ships  touch  the  ground  beneath  the 
fire  of  such  batteries  their  destruction  would  be  almost 
sure. 

It  was  a  little  after  eleven  o'clock  at  night  when  the 
first  shot  had  been  fired.  For  an  hour  and  a  half  the 
unequal  contlict  had  raged.  The  flag-ship  "  Hartford" 
and  the  ''  Albatross"  succeeded  in  forcing  their  way 
above  the  batteries,  and  in  thus  gaining  the  all-impor- 
tant object  of  their  enterprise.  The  "  Richmond"  follow- 
ing, had  just  passed  the  principal  batteries  when  a  shot 
penetrated  her  steam-chest,  so  efiectually  disabling  her 


232       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN. 

for  the  hour  that  she  dropped,  ahnost  helpless,  dowu 
the  stream.  The  "  Genesee,"  which  was  alongside, 
Jinable  to  stem  the  rapid  current  of  the  river,  with  the 
massive  "  Richmond"  in  tow,  bore  her  back  to  Prophet's 
Island.  Just  as  the  "  Richmond"  turned  a  torpedo  explod- 
ed under  her  stern,  throwing  up  the  water  mast-head  high 
and  causing  the  gallant  ship  to  quiver  in  every  timber. 

The  ^'  Monongahela"  and  "  Kineo"  came  next  in  line 
of  battle.  The  commander  of  the  "  Monongahela,"  Cap- 
tain M'Kinstry,  was  struck  down  early  in  the  conflict. 
The  command  then  devolved  on  a  gallant  young  officer, 
Lieutenant  Thomas.  He  manfully  endeavored  through 
all  the  storm  of  battle  to  follow  the  flag-ship.  But  in 
the  dense  smoke  the  pilot  lost  the  channel.  The  ship 
grounded  directly  under  the  fire  of  one  of  the  principal 
rebel  batteries.  For  twenty-five  minutes  she  remained 
in  that  perilous  position,  swept  by  shot  and  shell. 
Finally,  through  the  efforts  of  her  consort,  the  "  Kineo,'* 
she  was  floated,  and  again  heroically  commenced  steam- 
ing up  the  river.  But  her  enginery  soon  became  so  dis- 
abled under  the  relentless  fire,  that  the  "  Monongahela** 
was  also  compelled  to  drop  down  with  the  '^  Kineo"  to 
the  position  of  the  mortar  fleet.  Her  loss  was  six  killed 
and  twenty  wounded. 

In  obedience  to  the  order  of  Admiral  Farragut,  the 
magnificent  ship  "  Mississippi"  brought  up  the  rear,  with 
the  gunboat  "  Sachem"  as  her  ally,  bound  to  her  larboard 
side.  She  had  reached  the  point  directly  opposite  the 
town,  and  her  officers  were  congratulating  themselves 
that  they  had  surmounted  the  greatest  dangers,  and  that 
they  would  soon  be  above  the  batteries,  when  the  ship, 
which  had  just  then  been  put  under  rapid  headway, 


DARING    ENTERPRISES    OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.         233 

grounded  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river.  It  was  an  awful 
moment ;  for  the  guns  of  countless  batteries  were  immedi- 
ately concentrated  upon  her.  Captain  Smith,  while,  with 
his  efficient  engineer  Rutherford  he  made  the  most  stren- 
uous exertions  to  get  the  ship  afloat,  ordered  his  gunners 
to  keep  up  their  fire  with  the  utmost  possibLi  rapidity. 
In  the  short  space  of  thirty-five  minutes  they  fired  two 
hundred  and  fifty  shots.  The  principal  battery  of  the  foe 
was  within  five  hundred  yards  of  the  crippled  ship,  and  the 
majestic  fabric  was  soon  riddled  through  and  through 
by  the  storm  with  which  she  was  so  pitilessly  pelted. 
The  dead  and  the  wounded  strewed  the  decks,  and  it 
was  soon  evident  that  the  ship  could  not  be  saved. 

Captain  Smith  prepared  to  destroy  the  ship,  that  it 
might  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  and  to  save 
the  crew.  Captain  Caldwell,  of  the  iron-clad  "  Essex," 
hastened  to  his  rescue.  Under  as  murderous  a  fire  as 
mortals  were  ever  exposed  to,  the  sick  and  wounded 
were  conveyed  on  board  the  ram.  Combustibles  were 
placed  in  the  fore  and  after  part  of  the  ship,  to  which 
the  torch  was  to  be  applied  so  soon  as  the  crew  had  all 
escaped  to  the  western  shore.  By  some  misunderstand- 
ing she  was  fired  forward  before  the  order  was  given. 
This  caused  a  panic,  as  there  were  but  three  small  boats 
by  which  they  could  escape.  Some  plunged  into  the 
river  and  were  drowned.  It  is  related,  in  evidence  of 
the  coolness  of  Captain  Smith,  that  in  the  midst  of  this 
awful  scene,  while  lighting  his  cigar  with  steel  and  flint, 
he  remarked  to  Lieutenant  Dewy  : 

"  It  is  not  likely  that  we  shall  escape,  and  we  must 
make  ^very  preparation  to  secure  the  destruction  of  the 
ship." 


234       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   (IFFICERS    AND   MEN. 

After  spiking  nearly  every  gun  with  his  own  hands, 
and  seeing  that  the  survivors  of  his  crew  were  fairly  clear 
of  the  wreck,  Captain  Smith,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant 
Dewey,  Ensign  Bachelder,  and  Engineer  Tower,  sadly 
took  their  leave,  abandoning  the  proud  fabric  to  the 
flames.  Scarcely  had  they  left,  when  two  shells  came 
crashing  through  the  sides  of  the  "  Mississippi,"  overturn- 
ing, scattering,  and  enkindling  into  flame  some  casks  of 
turpentine.  The  ship  was  almost  instantly  enveloped  in 
billows  of  fire.  A  yell  of  exultation  rose  from  the  rebels 
as  they  beheld  the  bursting  forth  of  the  flames.  The 
ship,  lightened  by  the  removal  of  three  hundred  men, 
and  by  the  consuming  power  of  the  fire,  floated  from  the 
sand  bar  and  commenced  floating,  bow  on,  down  the  river. 

The  scene  presented  was  indeed  magnificent.  The 
whole  fabric  was  enveloped  in  flame.  Wreathing  ser- 
pents of  fire  twined  around  the  masts  and  ran  up  the 
shrouds.  Drifting  rapidly  downward  on  the  rapid  cur- 
rent, the  meteor,  like  a  volcanic  mountain  in  eruption, 
descended  as  regularly  along  the  western  banks  of  the 
stream  as  if  steered  by  the  most  accomplished  helmsman. 
As  the  ship  turned  round,  in  floating  ofi",  the  guns  of 
her  port  battery,  which  had  not  been  discharged,  faced 
the  foe.  As  the  fire  reached  them  the  noble  frigate, 
with  the  stars  and  stripes  still  floating  at  her  peak, 
opened  a  new  bombardment  of  the  rebel  batteries.  The 
shells  began  to  explode,  scattering  through  the  air  in 
all  directions.  The  flaming  vision  arrested  every  eye, 
on  the  land  and  on  the  ships,  until  the  floating  moun- 
tain of  fire  drifted  down  and  disappeared  behind 
Prophet's  Island.  And  now  came  the  explosion  of  the 
magazine.     There  was  a  vivid  flash,  shooting  upward 


DARING   ENTERPIIISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.         235 

to  the  sky  in  the  form  of  an  inverted  cone.  For  a 
momeat  the  whole  horizon  seemed  iiblaze  with  fiery 
missiles.  Then  came  booming  over  the  waves  a  peal  of 
heaviest  thunder.  The  very  hills  shook  beneath  the 
awful  explosion.  This  was  the  dying  cry  of  the  "  Mis- 
sissippi" as  she  sank  to  her  burial  beneath  the  waves  of 
the  river  from  which  she  received  her  name. 

Captain  Caldwell,  of  the  "Essex,"  who,  as  soon  as  he 
Baw  the  "  Mississippi,"  to  be  on  fire,  gallantly  steamed 
to  her  aid,  directly  under  the  concentrated  fire  of  the 
batteries,  succeeded  in  picking  up  many  who  were  strug- 
gling in  the  waves,  and  in  rescuing  others  who  had 
escaped  to  the  shore.  There  were  about  three  hundred 
men  on  board  the  "  Mississippi  "  Of  these  sixty-five 
officers  and  men  were  either  killed,  wounded,  or  taken 
prisoners.  Seventy,  who  escaped  to  the  shore,  wandered, 
for  many  miles,  down  the  western  banks  of  the  stream, 
in  constant  danger  of  being  taken  captive,  wading  the 
bayous,  and  encountering  fearful  hardships,  until  they 
finally  reached  the  ships  below.  Two  ships,  the  "Hart- 
A)rd"  and  the  "Albatross,"  succeeded  in  running  the 
gauntlet. 


RUNNING   THE    BATTERIES   AT   VICKSBURG, 

The  fate  of  the  "  Mississippi,"  in  her  attempt  to  pass 
the  batteries  at  Port  Hudson,  might  well  have  appalled 
the  stoutest  heart ;  but,  in  war,  necessity  is  stronger  than 
law — stronger  than  human  suflering,  or  than  any  ob- 
stacle which  may  oppose  its  action.     It  was  necessary 


236        DARfNO    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

for  General  Grant,  while  marching  his  troops  overlaiK^ 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  toward  the  poini 
from  which  he  intended  to  cross  and  attack  Vicksburg 
from  the  south  and  east,  to  have  transports  and  gun- 
boats below  the  Vicksburg  and  Warren  ton  batteries 
to  bring  supplies  and  ferry  his  troops  across  the  Mis- 
sissippi, as  well  as  to  attack  the  Warrenton  batteries 
from  below. 

On  consultation  with  Admiral  Porter,  that  brave 
officer  proposed  to  send  down  eight  gunboats,  three 
transports,  and  a  number  of  barges  and  flat  boats, 
laden  with  commissary  supplies,  past  the  batteries  to 
New  Carthage.  These  were  all  manned  by  volunteers, 
who  were  not  deterred  by  the  previous  misfortunes 
of  Fairagut's  squadron  from  undertaking  this  perilous 
expedition. 

The  former  attempts  at  running  the  Vicksburg  bat- 
teries had  been  made  shortly  before,  or  at  daylight ;  this 
time  a  change  was  resolved  upon.  Eleven  o'clock  at 
night  was  appointed  as  the  hour  at  which  the  boats 
should  leave  their  rendezvous,  which  was  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Yazoo  river.  To  the  anxious  expectants  of  the 
coming  events,  the  hours  stole  slowly  by.  As  the  ap- 
pointed moment  drew  near,  the  decks  of  the  various 
steamboats  were  crowded  with  watchful  spectators. 

A  sort  of  apprehensive  shudder  ran  through  the  col- 
lected gazers  when  it  was  announced  that  the  first  boat 
destined  to  pass  the  batteries  was  approaching.  Sombre 
and  silent  it  floated  down,  near  the  Louisiana  shore ; 
scarcely  were  its  dark  sides  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
foliage  lining  the  bank.  Stealing  slowly  on,  it  passed 
the  group  of  steamers,  and  at  a  point  below  took  rd 


DARING   ENTERPlilSES   OF    OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        237 

oblique  course,  steering  for  the  Mississippi  side  of  tLwe 
river ;  and,  in  the  gloom,  it  was  soon  confounded  witn 
the  dark  shadow  of  the  trees  beyond. 

Before  this  boat  was  lost  sight  of,  another  succeeded, 
and  to  that  another,  and  another,  until,  before  midnight, 
the  whole  had  gained  the  Mississippi  side  of  the  river, 
and  were  swallowed  up  in  the  dim  obscurity.  With 
breathless  interest  their  transit  was  watched  by  all  of 
those  oii  the  boats  of  the  fleet,  whose  position,  a  little 
above  the  entrance  of  the  first  canal,  brought  the  rough 
heights  of  Vicksburg  within  their  sphere  of  vision, 
though  the  town  lay,  for  the  present,  buried  in  the  dark- 
ness, except  where  now  and  then  the  twinkling  of  a 
starry  light  was  seen. 

As  the  boats,  with  lights  out  and  fires  carefully  hid- 
den, floated  past,  indistinct  as  the  ghosts  of  Ossian  in 
the  mountain  mists,  it  was  curious  to  note  the  effect 
upon  the  spectators.  Before  they  appeared,  the  hum  of 
conversation  was  heard  all  around.  All  were  busy  with 
speculations  as  to  the  probabilities  of  success.  The  de- 
sponding prognosticated  unmitigated  disaster.  The 
hopeful  indulged  in  confident  speculations.  All  were 
contented  to  endure  some  loss,  provided  a  sufiiciency  ar- 
rived at  the  destined  point  to  accomphsh  the  object  con- 
templated. 

As  the  various  boats  came  slowly  into  view,  stole  past 
with  noiseless  motion,  then  vanished  into  the  recesses 
of  the  shadowy  shore,  each  voice  was  hushed ;  only  in 
subdued  and  smothered  tones  were  persons,  at  intervals, 
heard  to  ask  a  question  or  venture  an  observation.  It 
seemed  as  if  each  one  felt  that  his  silence  was  due  to  the 
impressive  scene ;  as  if  an  indiscreet  utterance  on  hip 


238       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

part  might  raise  the  vail  of  secrecy,  so  necessary  to  be 
preserved  in  the  presence  of  a  watchful  foe. 

A  painful  expectation  weighed  on  every  spirit.  The 
boats  must  now  be  nef,r  the  point  opposite  the  belea- 
guered city.  Will  they  be  discovered  at  the  first  ap- 
proach, or  will  a  kindly  fortune  give  them  easy  passage 
by  ?  Suddenly  a  flame  starts  up !  Another  and  another 
leaps  into  the  darkness  of  tho  night !  The  enfemy  has 
seen  the  passing  boats,  and  is  sending  across  the  river 
his  death-dealing  messengers.  Rapid  now  dart  the  mo- 
mentary fires ;  the  iron  rain  of  the  remorseless  cannon 
hurtles  upon  the  dim  and  gliding  boats.  Dull  upon  the 
heavy  air,  scarce  nerved  by  the  night  wind,  which  blows 
in  a  direction  unfavorable  for  their  hearing,  reverberates 
the  heavy  thud  of  the  cannon. 

As  the  time  passes,  the  batteries  lower  and  still  lower 
come  into  action.  The  gazers  can  trace  the  course  of  the 
fleet  by  new  flames,  that  each  moment  startle  the 
strained  sight;  and  cannon,  for  miles  along  the  hazy 
shore,  are  hurling  their  destructive  missiles.  A  new  ac- 
cessory now  adds  its  influence  to  the  exciting  scene. 
While  the  spectators  had  been  engaged  in  watching  the 
vivid  flames  leaping  from  cannon  mouths  and  exploding 
shells,  a  gleam  of  light,  first  pale  and  soft,  then  red  and 
lurid,  and  at  last  glaring  and  refulgent,  stole  up  into  the 
heavens  above  the  opposing  city.  For  the  first  time,  the 
silence  was  broken  by  the  gazing  crowds  upon  the  steam- 
boats of  the  fleet.  "  Vicksburg  is  on  fire !"  was  uttered 
in  excited  tones.  But  it  was  not  so.  Steady  and  with 
wonderful  brilliancy,  upon  the  hill  on  which  the  city 
Htands,  the  fire  assumed  a  circular  outline  on  the  upper 
edge,  much  like  a  third  part  of  the  full  moon  when. 


DAaiNG   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.         231) 

apparently  magnified,  it  is  rising  above  the  horizon.  The 
flame  glowed  brilliant  and  beautiful — no  smoke  was  visi- 
ble to  dim  its  splendor.  It  was  a  beacon  light,  placed 
in  a  position  to  throw  its  beams  along  each  arm  of  the 
bend  of  the  river,  the  convex  side  of  which  is  turned 
toward  Vicksburg.  So  powerful  was  the  light  that,  at 
the  point  where  the  steamboat  tleet  was  moored,  the 
shadow  of  a  hand,  held  a  foot  from  the  boat's  side,  was 
distinctly  thrown  upon  it.  This  beacon,  with  treacher- 
ous fidelity,  showed  to  the  foe  the  now  fast  disappearing 
boats ;  but,  happily,  it  was  fired  too  late.  The  sight  of 
the  boats  appeared  to  add  new  rage  to  the  enemy,  who 
could  not  fail  to  count  the  cost  to  him  of  such  a  fleet 
joining  Farragut's  three  gunboats  already  between  Vicks- 
burg and  Port  Hudson.  The  firing  became  more  rapid. 
From  the  upper  batteries  to  the  last  ones  down  at  War- 
renton,  leaped  flame  on  flame.  The  dull  echo  of  the 
cannon,  and  the  whirr  and  shriek  of  the  flying  shells, 
startled  the  midnight  air.  But  now  comes  a  roar  which 
tells  that  the  Union  boys  are  awake  and  lively !  The 
light  that  showed  the  boats  to  the  enemy,  revealed  to 
the  gunners  on  the  gunboats  the  outlines  of  the  batteries, 
and  the  roar  which  deafens  the  ear  to  every  other  sound 
is  the  peal  of  their  heavy  pieces.  After  an  interval  of 
maddest  rage,  the  upper  guns  of  the  enemy  almost 
cease  their  fire.  It  is  evident  that  the  boats  have  passed 
the  first  reached  batteries — all  of  them  that  have  es- 
caped the  deadly  onset.  That  no  large  portion  of  them 
is  missing,  is  apparent  from  the  activity  of  the  forts  at 
Warrenton,  and  the  answering  thunders  of  the  Union 
guns. 

By  this  time  the  beacon  light  was  burnt  down,  and 


240        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

ceased  to  render  its  cruel  aid.  Just  as  the  gathering 
darkness  and  the  yet  longer  and  larger  intervals  of  silence 
gave  intimation  that  the  exciting  scene  was  nearly  over, 
another  startling  mcident  woke  anew  the  emotions  of 
the  time.  Midway  between  the  extinct  beacon  in  the 
city  and  the  lower  batteries  at  Warrenton,  a  new  glow 
of  light,  soft  as  the  dawn,  but  rapidly  blushing  into 
deeper  intensity,  climbed  gently  toward  the  sky.  "They 
are  lighting  another  beacon,"  shouted  many  voices ;  but 
again  the  speakers  were  mistaken.  The  light  grew 
stronger  every  moment ;  it  wanted  the  mellow,  vivid, 
space-penetrating  brilliancy  of  the  beacon ;  above  it 
rolled  volumes  of  thick  curling  smoke ;  and  more — the 
light,  with  slow  and  equal  pace,  was  moving  down  the 
stream!  There  was  no  disguising  the  truth — one  of 
our  own  boats  was  on  fire.  The  white  color  of  the 
smoke  showed  that  among  the  fuel  to  the  flame  was 
cotton.  The  inference  was  plain ;  it  was  not  a  gunboat 
but  a  transport  that  was  burning,  for  the  latter,  alone, 
were  protected  by  bales  of  cotton.  On  floated  the  doomed 
vessel ;  her  light  doubtless  exposed  to  the  rebels'  view 
the  floating  flat  boats  and  barges ;  further  firing,  espe- 
cially from  the  Warrenton  batteries,  was  for  a  short  time 
violently  renewed. 

The  glow  of  the  burning  boat  continued  in  sight  until 
the  beams  of  morning  hid  its  glare.  Before  this,  more- 
over, the  solemn  drama  had  reached  its  termination 
The  spectators  reluctantly  retired  to  their  cabins,  when 
nothing  remained  to  engage  the  attention  but  the  flaming 
wreck  and  scattering  shots  : 

"  The  distant  and  random  gun, 
That  the  foe  was  sullenly  firing." 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        241 

It  was  not  until  noon  of  the  next  day  (April  17, 
1863)  tliat  the  account  of  the  fate  of  the  expedition 
reached  the  Union  camp  at  Young's  Point.  The  eight 
gunboats  reached  their  destination  with  but  slight  in- 
juries or  loss  of  life,  only  one  man  having  been  killed 
and  two  wounded.  The  transport  Henry  Clay  was 
burned ;  but  the  other  transports,  flat  boats,  etc.,  made 
the  passage  in  safety,  and  the  crew  of  the  Henry  Clay 
reached  the  shore  and  joined  some  of  the  other  boats. 
A  few  days  later,  Admiral  Porter  sent  a  second  squad- 
ron of  gunboats  and  transports  down,  but  the  transports 
in  this  expedition  were  seriously  damaged. 


THE  CAVALRY  FIGHT  AT  BRANDY  STATION. 

This  action,  one  of  the  most  brilliant  in  which  our 
cavalry  were  engaged,  and  one  of  the  first  in  which 
they  won  the  reputation  of  being  superior  to  the  rebehj 
in  that  arm  of  the  service,  in  which  they  bad  especially 
plumed  themselves,  is  thus  graphically  described  by  a 
participator  in  it : 

"  It  was  the  prettiest  cavalry  fight  that  you  ever  saw, 
said   the  adjutant,  stretching  his  legs,  and  lighting  a 
fresh  cigar. 

"  It  was  just  my  luck  to  lose  it,"  I  answered.  •'  Hert» 
have  I  been  lying,  growling  and  grumbling,  while 
you  fellows  have  been  distinguishing  yourselves.  It 
was  miserable   to   be  taken  sick  just  when  the  army 

16 


242        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

got  in  motion,  and  still  worse  not  to  hear  a  word  of 
what  was  going  on.  I  almost  wished  that  we  had  been 
a  neicspaper  regiment,  so  that  I  could  learn  something 
about  our  share  in  that  day's  work.  Be  a  good  fellow, 
and  play  reporter  for  my  benefit.  Freshen  hawse,  as  the 
nautical  novelists  say,  and  begin." 

*'  Well,  we  were  lying  at  Warrenton  Junction,  making 
ourselves  as  comfortable  as  possible  after  the  raid,  when 
(m  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  June,  the  whole  division 
was  ordered  out  in  the  very  lightest  marching  order. 
That  night  we  lay  close  to  Kelly's  Ford,  in  column  of 
battalions,  the  men  holding  their  horses  as  they  slept, 
and  no  fires  being  lighted. 

"At  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  we  were 
again  in  motion,  and  got  across  the  ford  without  inter- 
ruption or  discovery.  Yorke,  with  the  third  squadron, 
was  in  advance,  and  as  we  moved,  he  managed  so  well 
that  he  bagged  every  picket  on  the  road.  Thus  we  had 
got  almost  upon  the  rebel  camp  before  vre  were  discovered. 
We  rode  right  into  Jones'  Brigade,  the  First  Jersey  and 
First  Pennsylvania  charging  together ;  and  before  they 
had  recovered  from  the  alarm  we  had  a  hundred  and 
fifty  prisoners.  The  rebels  were  then  forming  thick 
upon  the  hill-side  by  the  station,  and  they  had  a  battery 
playing  upon  us  like  fun.  Martin's  New  York  Battery. 
on  our  side  galloped  into  position,  and  began  to  answer 
them.  Then  Wyndham  formed  his  whole  brigade  for  a 
charge,  except  a  squadron  of  the  First  Maryland,  left 
to  support  the  battery.  Our  boys  went  in  splendidly, 
keeping  well  together,  and  making  straight  for  the  rebel 
battery  on  the  hill  behind  the  station.  Wyndham 
lumself  rode  on  the  right,  and  Broderick  charged  more 


P4RING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN'.        '24  3 

toward  the  left,  and  with  a  yell  we  were  on  them.  We 
were  only  two  hundred  and  eighty  strong,  and  in  front 
of  us  was  White's  Battalion  of  five  hundred.  No  mat- 
ter for  that.  Wyndham  and  Broderick  were  leading, 
and  they  were  not  accustomed  to  count  odds. 

"As  we  dtoshed  fiercely  into  them,  sabre  in  hand,  they 
broke  like  a  wave  on  the  bows  of  a  ship,  and  over  and 
through  them  we  rode,  sabreing  as  we  went.  We  could 
not  stop  to  take  prisoners,  for  there  in  front  of  us  was 
the  Twelfth  Virginia,  six  hundred  men,  riding  down  to 
support  White.  By  Jove,  sir,  that  was  a  charge  !  They 
came  up  splendidly,  looking  steadier  than  we  did  our- 
selves aftoi  the  shock  of  the  first  charge.  I  do  not 
know  whether  Wyndham  was  still  with  us,  or  if  he  had 
gone  to  another  regiment ;  but  there  wa&  Broderick, 
looking  full  of  fight,  his  blue  eyes  in  a  blaze,  and  hia 
sabre  clenched,  riding  well  in  front.  At  them  we  went 
igain,  and  some  of  them  this  time  met  us  fairly.  I  saw 
Broderick's  sabre  go  through  a  man,  and  the  rebel  gave 
a  convulsive  leap  out  of  his  saddle,  falling  senseless  to 
the  ground.  It  seemed  but  an  instant  before  the  rebels 
were  scattered  in  every  direction,  trying  now  and  then 
to  rally  in  small  parties,  but  never  daring  to  await  our 
approach. 

"  Now,  there  were  the  guns  plain  before  us,  the 
drivers  yelling  at  their  horses,  and  trying  to  limber  up. 
We  caught  one  gun  before  they  could  move  it,  and  were 
dashing  after  the  others,  when  I  heard  Broderick  shout/- 
ing  in  a  stormy  voice.  I  tell  you,  it  was  a  startling  sight. 
The  fragments  of  White's  Battalion  had  gathered  to- 
get^\er  toward  the  left  of  the  field,  and  were  charging  in 
our  rear.    The  First  Maryland  was  there,  and  Broderick 


244        DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN. 

was  shouting  at  them  in  what  their  colonel  considered  a 
*  very  ungentlemanly  manner,'  to  move  forward  to  the 
charge.  At  the  same  tirao  two  fresh  regiments,  the 
Eleventh  Virginia,  and  anot.ier,  were  coming  down  on 
our  front.  Instead  of  dashing  at  White's  men,  the 
First  Maryland  wavered  and  broke,  and  then  we  were 
charged  at  the  same  time  in  front  and  rear.  We  had 
to  let  the  guns  go,  and  gather  together  as  well  as  possi- 
ble to  cut  ourselves  out.  Gallantly  our  fellows  met  the 
attack.  We  were  broken,  of  course,  by  the  mere 
weight  of  the  attacking  force,  but,  breaking  them  up  too, 
the  whole  field  was  covered  with  small  squads  of  fight- 
ing men.  I  saw  Broderick  ride  in  with  a  cheer,  and 
open  a  way  for  the  men.  His  horse  went  down  in 
the  melee ;  but  little  Wood,  the  bugler  of  Company  G, 
sprang  down,  and  gave  him  his  animal,  setting  off  him- 
self to  catch  another.  A  rebel  rode  at  the  bugler,  and 
succeeded  in  getting  away  his  arms  before  help  came. 
As  Wood  still  went  after  a  horse  another  fellow  rode 
at  him. 

"  The  boy  happened  at  that  moment  to  see  a  carbine, 
where  it  had  been  dropped  after  firing.  He  picked  up 
the  empty  weapon,  aimed  it  at  the  horseman,  made  him 
dismount,  give  up  his  arms,  and  start  for  the  rear 
Then  he  went  in  again.  Lucas,  Hobensack,  Brooks, 
and  Beekman,  charged  with  twelve  men  into  White's 
Battalion.  Fighting  hand  to  hand,  they  cut  their  way 
through,  but  left  nine  of  the  men  on  the  ground  behind 
them.  Hughes  was  left  almost  alone  in  a  crowd,  but 
brought  himself  and  the  men  with  him  safe  through. 
Major  Shelmire  was  sean  last  lying  across  the  dead  body 
of  a  rebel  cavalryman      None  of  us  thought  any  thing 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS    ANH    MEN.        -45 

of  two  to  one  odds,  as  long  as  we  had  a  chance  to  ride 
at  them.  It  was  only  when  we  got  so  entangled  that 
we  had  to  fight  hand  to  hand  that  their  numbers  told 
heavily.  It  was  in  such  a  place  that  I  lost  sight  of 
Broderick.  The  troop  horse  that  he  was  riding  was  not 
strong  enough  to  ride  through  a  knot  of  men,  so  that  he 
had  to  fight  them.  He  struck  one  so  heavily  that  he 
was  stunned  by  the  blow,  but  his  horse  was  still  in  the 
way;  swerving  to  one  side,  he  escaped  a  blow  from 
another,  and,  warding  off  the  thrust  of  a  third,  man- 
aged to  take  him  with  his  point  across  the  forehead ; 
just  as  he  did  so,  however,  his  sabre,  getting  tangled 
with  the  rebel's,  was  jerked  from  his  hand. 

"He  always  carried  a  pistol  in  his  boot.  Pulling 
that  out,  he  fired  into  the  crowd,  and  put  spurs  to  hia 
horse.  The  bullet  hit  a  horse  in  front  of  him,  which 
fell.  His  own  charger  rose  at  it,  but  stumbled,  and 
as  it  did,  Broderick  himself  fell,  from  a  shot  fired 
within  arras'  length  of  him  and  a  sabre  stroke  upon  hia 
side. 

"  I  saw  all  this  as  a  man  sees  things  at  such  times, 
and  am  not  positive  even  that  it  all  occurred  as  1 
thought  I  saw  it ;  for  I  was  in  the  midst  of  confusion, 
and  only  caught  things  around  by  passing  glimpses. 
You  see  I  was  myself  having  as  much  as  I  could  do. 
The  crowd  with  whom  Broderick  was  engaged  was  a 
little  distance  from  me  ;  and  I  had  just  wheeled  to  ride 
up  to  his  help  when  two  fellows  put  at  me.  The  first 
one  fired  at  me  and  missed.  Before  he  could  again  cock 
his  revolver  I  succeeded  in  closing  with  him.  My  sabre 
took  him  just  in  the  neck,  and  must  have  cut  the  jugu- 
lar.    The  bl/-«od  guj'aed  out  in  a  black  looking  stream  ; 


246       DARING    ENTERPRISES  OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

he  gave  a  horrible  yell,  and  fell  over  the  side  of  his 
horse,  which  galloped  away.  Then  I  gathered  up  my 
reins,  spurred  my  horse,  and  went  at  the  other  one.  I 
was  riding  that  old  black  horse  that  used  to  belong  to 
the  signal  sergeant,  and  it  was  in  fine  condition.  As  I 
drove  in  the  spurs  it  gave  a  leap  high  in  the  air.  That 
plunge  saved  my  life.  The  rebel  had  a  steadj^  aim  at 
me ;  but  the  ball  went  through  the  black  horse's  brain. 
His  feet  never  touched  ground  again.  With  a  terrible 
convulsive  contraction  of  all  his  muscles  the  black 
turned  over  in  the  air,  and  fell  on  his  head  and  side 
Btone  dead,  pitching  me  twenty  feet.  I  lighted  on  my 
pistol,  the  butt  forcing  itself  far  into  my  side ;  my  sabre 
sprung  out  of  my  hand,  and  I  lay,  with  arms  and  legs 
all  abroad,  stretched  out  like  a  dead  man.  Everybody 
had  something  else  to  do  than  to  attend  to  me,  and  there 
I  lay  where  I  had  fallen. 

''  It  seemed  to  me  to  have  been  an  age  before  I  began 
painfully  to  come  to  myself;  but  it  could  not  have  been 
many  minutes.  Every  nerve  was  shaking ;  there  was  a 
terrible  pain  in  my  head,  and  a  numbness  through  my 
side  which  was  even  worse.  Fighting  was  still  going 
on  around  me,  and  my  first  impulse  w^as  to  get  hold  of 
my  sword.  I  crawled  to  it  and  sank  down  as  I  grasped 
it  once  more.  That  was  only  for  a  moment;  for  a 
rebel  soldier  seeing  me  move,  rode  at  me.  The  pres- 
ence of  danger  roused  me,  and  I  managed  to  get  to 
my  horse,  behind  which  I  sank,  resting  my  pistol  on  the 
saddle,  and  so  contriving  to  get  an  aim.  As  soon  as  the 
man  saw  that,  he  turned  off  without  attacking  me.  I 
was  now  able  to  stand  and  walk ;  so,  holding  my  pistol 
m  one  hand  a  d  my  sabre  in  the  other,  I  made  my  way 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.       24? 

across  the  fields  to  where  our  battery  was  posted,  scaring 
some  with  my  pistol,  and  shooting  others.  Nobody 
managed  to  hit  me  through  the  whole  fight.  When  I 
got  up  to  the  battery  I  found  Wood  there.  He  sang  out 
to  me  to  wait,  and  he  would  get  me  a  horse.  One  of 
the  men,  who  had  just  taken  one,  was  going  past,  so 
Wood  stopped  him  and  got  it  for  me. 

"Just  at  that  moment  White's  Battalion  and  some 
other  troops  came  charging  at  the  battery.  The  squad- 
ron of  the  First  Maryland,  who  were  supporting  it,  met 
the  charge  well  as  far  as  their  numbers  went ;  but  were, 
of  course,  flanked  on  both  sides  by  the  heavy  odds.  All 
of  our  men  who  were  free  came  swarming  up  the  hill, 
and  the  cavalry  were  fighting  over  and  around  the  guns. 
In  spite  of  the  confusion,  and  even  while  their  comrades 
at  the  same  piece  were  being  sabred,  the  men  at  that 
battery  kept  to  their  duty.  They  did  not  even  look  up 
or  around,  but  kept  up  their  fire  with  unwavering 
steadiness.  There  was  one  rebel,  on  a  splendid  horse, 
who  sabred  three  gunners  while  I  was  chasing  him. 
He  wheeled  in  and  out,  would  dart  away,  and  then 
come  sweeping  back  and  cut  down  another  man  in  a 
manner  that  seemed  almost  supernatural.  We  at  last 
succeeded  in  driving  him  away,  but  we  could  not 
catch  or  shoot  him,  and  he  got  ofi"  without  a  scratch. 

"  In  the  meantime  the  fight  was  going  on  elsewhere. 
Kilpatrick's  Brigade  charged  on  our  right.  The  Second 
New  York  did  not  behave  as  well  as  it  has  sometimes 
done  since,  and  the  loss  of  it  weakened  us  a  great  deal. 
The  Tenth  New  York,  though,  went  in  well,  and  tht» 
First  Main  3  did  splendidly,  as  it  always  does.  In  spite 
of  their  supeiior  numbers  (Stuart  had  a  day  or  two 


248       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN. 

before  reviewed  thirty  thousand  cavahy  at  Culx^eppei, 
according  to  the  accounts  of  rebel  officers),  we  beat 
them  heavily,  and  would  have  routed  them  completely 
if  Duffle's  Brigade  had  come  ^p.  He,  however,  was 
engaged  with  two  or  three  hundred  men  on  the  left; 
the  aide-de-camp  sent  to  him  with  orders  was  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner,  and  he  is  not  the  sort  of  man  to 
find  out  the  critical  point  in  a  fight  of  his  own  accord. 

"  So  now,  they  bringing  up  still  more  reserves,  and 
a  whole  division  of  theirs  coming  on  the  field,  we  begai 
to  fall  back.     We  had  used  them  up  so  severely  that 
they  could  not  press  us  very  close,  except  in  the  neigh- 
borhood  of   where    the    Second    New   York   charged. 
There  some  of  our  men  had  as  much  as  they  could  do 
to  get  out,  and  the  battery  had  to  leave  three  of  its  guns. 
"We  fonned  in  the  woods  between  a  quarter  and  half  a  mile 
of  the  field,  another  regiment  moved  back  to  cover  the 
left  of  Buford,  who  was  in  retreat  toward  Beverly  Ford. 
Hart  and  Wynkoop  tried  hard  to  cover  the  guns  that 
were  lost,  but  they  had  too  few  men,  and  so  had  to 
leave  them.     The  rebels  were  terribly  punished.     By 
their  own  confession  they  lost  three  times  as  many  as 
we  did.     In  our  regiment  almost  every  soldier  must 
have  settled  his  man.     Sergeant  Craig,  of  Company  K, 
I  believe,  killed  three.     Slate,  of  the  same  company, 
also  went   above   the   average.     But  we  lost  terribly 
Sixty  enlisted   men    of  the  First  Jersey  were  killed, 
wounded,  or  missing.    Colonel  Wyndham  was  wounded, 
but  kept  his  saddle ;   Lieutenant-Colonel  Broderick  and 
Major   Shelmire  were   killed ;    Lieutenant   Brooks  was 
wounded;     Captain    Sawyer   and   Lieutenant   Crocker 
were  taken  prisoners ;   and  I,  as  ^^ou  see,  have  had  to 
come  in  at  last  and  refit." 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        24 i) 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  MISSION  RIDGE. 

The  campaign  of  Chattanooga,  in  October  and  Novein- 
Kjt,  1863,  was  as  brilliant  as  it  was  brief.  It  was  not 
the  continuous  "pounding'  of  Vicksburg,  the  dogged 
and  obstinate  fighting,  and  the  terrible  slaughter  of  the 
battles  in  Virginia  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1864 ; 
but  in  dash,  in  skilful  surmounting  of  obstacles,  in  bril- 
liant and  heroic  achievement,  it  was  surpassed  by  no 
campaign  of  the  war.  Each  of  its  five  engagements  had 
something  of  special  merit  to  entitle  it  to  lasting  remem- 
brance; the  adroitly  managed  surprise  by  which  the 
command  of  the  river  was  won,  and  the  toilsome  sixty 
miles'  travel  of  the  supply  trains  over  the  worst  roads 
in  the  world  reduced  to  ten  miles  over  a  good  road,  and 
the  subsequent  sharp  but  successful  battle  of  Wauhatchie, 
in  which  the  gray-haired  hero,  Gearj^,  showed  himself 
as  skilful  as  he  was  daring,  indicated  that  the  general 
in  command  at  Chattanooga  was  fully  master  of  the 
situation.  The  capture  of  Lookout  mountain  by  Gene- 
ral Hooker ;  the  conflict  "  above  the  clouds,"  where  the 
lurid  light  that  flamed  from  Union  and  rebel  cannon 
mimicked,  with  wonderful  effect,  the  thunders  of  Heaven's 
own  artillery,  and  where,  with  every  struggle,  the  stars 
and  stripes  crept  higher  and  higher  toward  that  summit 
which  overlooked  so  many  battle  fields,  till  the  morn- 
ing's light  beheld  them  waving  proudly  from  its  highest 
point ;  the  bold  and  rapid  movement,  by  which,  while 
marshalled,  as  the  enemy  supposed,  for  a  dress  parade, 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  swept  across  the  plain  and 
captured  Orchard  Knob ;  that  succession  of  fierce  and 


250       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

persistent  struggles  in  which  Sherman  wrestled  for  the 
capture  of  Tunnel  Hill,  and  by  which  he  drew  to  that 
point  so  large  a  portion  of  Bragg's  troops ;  and  last  and 
most  glorious  of  all  that  fiery  ascent  of  Mission  Ridge, 
in  which  that  noble  Fourth  Corps  marched  and  climbed 
for  a  long  hour  through  a  furnace  of  flame,  and  after 
struggling  up  an  ascent  so  steep  that  to  climb  it  unop» 
posed  would  task  the  stoutest  energies,  swept  their 
enemies  from  its  summit,  and  over  all  that  broad  vista 
disclosed  from  its  summit,  saw  only  a  flying  and  utterly 
routed  foe.  Many  writers  have  attempted  to  describe, 
and  with  varying  success,  this  brilliant  feat  of  arms,  but 
none  have  succeeded  so  admirably  as  Mr.  B.  F.  Taylor, 
of  the  "  Chicago  Journal,"  himself  an  eye-witness  of  it. 
We  give  a  portion  of  his  description,  which  is  as  truthful 
as  it  is  glowing : 

The  brief  November  afternoon  was  half  gone ;  it  was 
yet  thundering  on  the  left ;  along  the  centre  all  was  still. 
At  that  very  hour  a  fierce  assault  was  made  upon  the 
enemy's  left  near  Rossville,  four  miles  down  toward  the 
old  field  of  Chickamauga.  They  carried  the  Ridge  ;  Mis- 
sion Ridge  seems  everywhere — they  strewed  its  summit 
with  rebel  dead ;  they  held  it.  And  thus  the  tips  of  the 
Federal  army's  wide-spread  wings  flapped  grandly.  But 
it  had  not  swooped ;  the  gray  quarry  yet  perched  upon 
Mission  Ridge ;  the  rebel  army  was  terribly  battered  at 
the  edges,  but  there  full  in  our  front  it  grimly  waited, 
biding  out  its  time.  If  the  horns  of  the  rebel  crescent 
could  not  be  doubled  crushingly  together,  in  a  shapeless 
mass,  possibly  it  might  be  sundered  at  its  centre,  and 
tumbled    in  fragrnents  over  the  other  sido  of  Mission 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS    AND    MEN  251 

Ridge.  Sherman  was  halted  upon  the  left ;  Hooker  waa 
liolding  hard  in  Chattanooga  Valley ;  the  Fourth  Corps, 
that  rounded  out  our  centre,  grew  impatient  of  restraint ; 
the  day  was  waning ;  but  litth  time  remained  to  com- 
plete the  commanding  general's  grand  design ;  Gordon 
Granger's  hour  had  come  ;  his  work  was  full  before  him. 

And  what  a  work  that  was  to  make  a  we^k  man  faltei 
and  a  brave  man  think !  One  and  a  half  miles  to  trav- 
erse, with  narrow  fringes  of  woods,  rough  valleys,  sweeps 
of  open  field,  rocky  acclivities,  to  the  base  of  the  ridge, 
and  no  foot  in  all  the  breadth  withdrawn  from  rebel 
sight ;  no  foot  that  could  not  be  played  upon  by  rebel 
cannon,  like  a  piano's  keys,  under  Thplberg's  stormy 
fingers.  The  base  attained,  what  then  ?  A  heavy  rebel 
work,  packed  with  the  enemy,  rimming  it  like  a  battle- 
ment. That  work  carried,  and  what  then  ?  A  hill, 
struggling  up  out  of  the  valley,  four  hundred  feet,  rained 
on  by  bullets,  swept  by  shot  and  shell ;  another  line  of 
works,  and  then,  up  like  a  Gothic  roof  r^ugh  with  rocks, 
a  wreck  with  fallen  trees,  four  hundred  more ;  another 
ring  of  fire  and  iron,  and  then  the  crest,  and  then  the 
enemy. 

To  dream  of  such  a  journey  would  be  madness;  to 
devise  it  a  thing  incredible ;  to  do  it  a  deed  impossible. 
But  Grant  was  guilty  of  tliem  all,  and  Granger  was  equal 
to  the  work.  The  story  of  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge  is 
struck  with  immortality  already ;  let  the  leader  of  the 
Fourth  Corps  bear  it  company. 

That  the  centre  yet  lies  along  its  silent  line  is  still 
true  ;  in  five  minutes  it  will  be  the  wildest  fiction.  Let 
us  take  that  little  breath  of  grace  for  just  one  glance  at 
the  surroundinofs.  since  we  shall  have  neitV.»  heart  nor 


252        DARING    RNTERPRISES    OF   OFFICERS    AMD    MEN. 

eyes  for  it  again.  Did  ever  battle  have  so  vast  a  cloud 
of  witnesses  ?  The  hive  shaped  hills  have  swarmed. 
Clustered  like  bees,  blackening  the  housetops,  lining 
the  fortifications,  over  yonder  across  the  theatre,  in  the 
Beats  with  the  Catilines,  everywhere,  are  a  hundred  thou- 
sand beholders.  Their  souls  are  in  their  eyes.  Not  a 
murmur  can  you  heai.  It  is  the  most  solemn  congre 
gation  that  ever  stood  ip  in  the  presence  of  the  God  of 
battles.  I  think  of  Bunker  Hill,  as  I  stand  here ;  of  tht 
thousands  who  witnessed  the  immortal  struggle ;  and 
fancy  there  is  a  parallel.  I  think,  too,  that  the  chair  of 
every  man  of  them  will  stand  vacant  against  the  wall 
to-morrow,  and  that  around  the  fireside  they  must  give 
thanks  without  him  if  they  can. 

At  half-past  three,  a  group  of  generals,  whose  namea 
will  need  no  ''  Old  Mortality"  to  chisel  them  anew, 
stood  upon  Orchard  Knob.  The  hero  of  Vicksburg  was 
there,  calm,  clear,  persistent,  far-seeing.  Thomas,  the 
sterling  and  steady ;  Meigs,  Hunter,  Granger,  Reynolds. 
Clusters  of  humbler  mortals  were  there,  too,  but  it  was 
any  thing  but  a  turbulent  crowd ;  the  voice  naturally 
fell  into  a  subdued  tone,  and  even  young  faces  took  on 
the  gravity  of  later  years.  Generals  Grant,  Thoma^y 
and  Granger  conferred,  an  order  was  given,  and  in  an 
instant  the  Ktioh  was  cleared  like  a  ship's  deck  for  action. 
At  twenty  minutes  of  four,  Granger  stood  upon  the 
parapet ;  the  bugle  swung  idle  at  the  bugler's  side,  the 
warbling  fife  and  the  grumbling  drum  unheard — there 
was  to  be  louder  talk — six  guns,  at  intervals  of  two 
seconds,  the  signal  to  advance.  Strong  and  steady  hia 
voice  rang  uut :  "  Number  or  e,  fire  !  Number  two,  fire  ! 
Number  three,  fire !"  it  seem  id  to  me  the  tolling  of  the 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN.       25o 

clock  of  destiny — and  when  at  "  Number  six,  fire !"  the 
roar  throbbed  out  with  the  flash,  you  should  have  seen 
the  dead  line  that  had  been  lying  behind  the  works  all 
day,  all  night,  all  day  again,  come  to  resurrection  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye — leap  like  a  blade  from  its  scab- 
bard, and  sweep  with  a  two-mile  stroke  toward  the  ridge. 
From  divisions  to  brigades,  from  brigades  to  regi- 
ments, the  order  ran.  A  minute,  and  the  skirmishers 
deploy ;  a  minute,  and  the  first  great  drops  begin  to 
patter  along  the  line ;  a  minute,  and  the  musketry  is  in 
full  play,  like  the  crackling  whips  of  a  hemlock  fire  j 
men  go  down,  here  and  there,  before  your  e^'Os;  the 
wind  lifts  the  smoke  and  drifts  it  away  over  the  top  of 
the  ridge ;  every  thing  is  too  distinct ;  it  is  fairly  palpor 
ble ;  you  can  touch  it  with  your  hand.  The  divisions 
of  Wood  and  Sheridan  are  wading  breast  deep  in  the 
valley  of  death. 

I  never  can  tell  you  what  it  was  like.  They  pushed 
out,  leaving  nothing  behind  them.  There  was  no  re- 
servation in  that  battle.  On  moves  the  line  of  skir- 
mishers, like  a  heavy  frown,  and  after  it,  at  quick  time, 
the  splendid  columns.  At  right  of  us,  and  left  of  us, 
and  front  of  us,  you  can  see  the  bayonets  glitter  in 
the  sun.  You  cannot  persuade  yourself  that  Bragg 
was  wrong,  a  day  or  two  ago,  when,  seeing  Hooker 
moving  in,  he  said,  "Now  we  shall  have  a  Potomac 
review ;"  that  this  is  not  the  parade  he  prophesied ; 
that  it  is  of  a  truth  the  harvest  of  death  to  which 
they  go  down.  And  so  through  the  fringe  of  woods 
went  the  line.  Now,  out  into  the  open  ground  they 
burst  at  the  double-quick.  Shrll  I  call  it  a  Sabbath 
day's  journey,  or  a  long  one  and  a  half  mile  ?     To  me. 


254        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

that  watched,  it  seemed  endless  as  eternity,  and  yet 
they  made  it  in  thirty  minutes.  The  tempest  that  now 
broke  upon  their  heads  was  terrible.  The  enemy's  &re 
burst  out  of  the  rifle-pits  from  base  to  summit  of  Mis- 
sion Ridge;  five  rebel  batteries  of  Parrotts  and  Napo- 
leons opened  along  the  crest.  Grape  and  canister  and 
shot  and  shell  sowed  the  ground  with  rugged  iron, 
and  garnishee/  it  with  the  wounded  and  the  dead. 
But  steady  and  strong  our  columns  move  on. 

"  By  heavens  I     It  was  a  splendid  sight  to  see, 
For  one  who  had  no  friend,  no  brother  there ;" 

but  to  all  loyal  hearts,  alas !  and  thank  God,  those  men 
were  friend  and  brother,  both  in  one. 

And  over  their  heads,  as  they  went,  Forts  Wood 
and  Negley  struck  straight  out  like  mighty  pugilists 
right  and  left,  raining  their  iron  blows  upon  the  Ridge 
from  base  to  crest;  Forts  Palmer  and  King  took  ui 
the  quarrel,  and  Moccasin  Point  cracked  its  fiery  whipfe 
and  lashed  the  rebel  left  till  the  wolf  cowered  in  its 
comer  with  a  growl.  Bridges'  Battery,  from  Orchard 
Knob  below,  thrust  its  ponderous  fists  in  the  face 
of  the  enemy,  and  planted  blows  at  will.  Our  artil- 
lery was  doing  splendid  service.  It  laid  its  shot  and 
shell  wherever  it  pleased.  Had  giants  carried  them 
by  hand  they  could  hardly  have  been  more  accurate. 
All  along  the  mountain's  side,  in  the  rebel  rifle-pits, 
on  the  crest,  they  fairly  dotted  the  Ridge.  General 
Granger  leaped  down,  sighted  a  gun,  and  in  a  moment^ 
right  in  front,  a  great  volume  of  smoke,  like  "the 
cloud  by  day,"  lifted  ofi"  the  summit  from  among  the 
rebel  batteries,  and  hung  motioil^ss,  kindling   in  the 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        255 

tun.  The  shot  had  struck  a  caisson,  and  that  was  itb 
dying  breath.  In  five  minutes  away  floated  another. 
A  shell  went  crashing  through  a  building  in  the  cluster 
that  marked  Bragg's  headquarters ;  a  second  killed  the 
skeleton  horses  of  a  battery  at  his  elbow,  a  third  scat- 
tered a  gray  mass  as  if  it  had  been  a  wasp's  nest. 

And  all  the  while  our  lines  were  moving  on ;  they 
had  burned  through  the  woods  and  swept  over  the 
rough  and  rolling  ground  like  a  prairie  fire.  Never 
halting,  never  faltering,  they  charged  up  to  the  first 
rifle-pits  with  a  cheer,  forked  out  the  rebels  with  their 
bayonets,  and  lay  there  panting  for  breath.  If  the 
thunder  of  guns  had  been  terrible,  it  was  now  growing 
sublime;  it  was  like  the  footfall  of  God  on  the  ledges  of 
cloud.  Our  forts  and  batteries  still  thrust  out  their 
mighty  arms  across  the  valley ;  the  rebel  guns  that  lined 
the  arc  of  the  crest  full  in  our  front,  opened  like  the  fan 
of  Lucifer,  and  converged  their  fire  down  upon  Baird, 
and  Wood,  and  Sheridan.  It  was  rifles  and  musketry; 
it  was  grape  and  canister ;  it  was  shell  and  schrapnel. 
Mission  Ridge  was  volcanic  ;  a  thousand  torrents  of  red 
poured  over  its  brink  and  rushed  together  to  its  base., 
And  our  men  were  there,  halting  for  breath  !  And  still 
the  sublime  diapason  rolled  on.  Echoes  that  never 
waked  before,  roared  out  from  height  to  height,  and 
called  from  the  far  ranges  of  Waldron's  Ridge  to  Look- 
out. As  for  Mission  Ridge,  it  had  jarred  to  such  music 
before  ;  it  was  the  "  sounding-board"  of  Chickamauga ; 
it  was  behind  us  then ;  it  frowns  and  flashes  in  our  faces 
to-day;  the  old  Army  of  the  Cumberland  was  there ;  it 
breasted  the  stonn  till  the  storm  was  spent,  and  left  the 
ground   it   held;   the  old  Army  of  the  Cumberland  in 


256       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

here !  It  shall  roll  up  the  Ridge  like  a  surge  to  it« 
summit,  and  sweep  triumphant  down  the  other  side. 
Believe  me,  that  memory  and  hope  may  have  made  the 
heart  of  many  a  blue  coat  beat  like  a  drum.  "  Beat," 
did  I  say  ?  The  feverish  heat  of  the  battle  beats  on ; 
fifty-eight  guns  a  minute,  by  the  watch,  is  the  rate  of 
its  terrible  throbbing.  That  hill,  if  you  climb  it,  will 
appal  you.  Furrowed  like  a  summer-fallow,  bullets  as 
if  an  oak  had  shed  them ;  trees  clipped  and  shorn,  leaf 
and  limb,  as  with  the  knife  of  some  heroic  gardener 
pruning  back  for  richer  fruit.  How  you  attain  the 
summit,  weary  and  breathless,  I  wait  to  hear;  how 
they  went  up  in  the  teeth  of  the  storm  no  man  can 
tell! 

And  all  the  while  rebel  prisoners  have  been  streaming 
out  from  the  rear  of  our  lines  like  the  tails  of  a  cloud  of 
kites.  Captured  and  disarmed,  they  needed  nobody  to 
set  them  going.  The  fire  of  their  own  comrades  was  like 
spurs  in  a  horse's  flank,  and  amid  the  tempest  of  their 
own  brewing  they  ran  for  dear  life,  until  they  dropped 
like  quails  into  the  Federal  rifle-pits,  and  were  safe. 
But  our  gallant  legions  are  out  in  the  storm;  they 
have  carried  the  works  at  the  base  of  the  Ridge;  they 
have  fallen  like  leaves  in  winter  weather.  Blow,  dumb 
bugles ! 

Sound  the  recall !  "  Take  the  rifle-pits,"  was  the 
order ;  and  it  is  as  empty  of  rebels  as  the  tomb  of  the 
prophets.  Shall  they  turn  their  backs  to  the  blast? 
Shall  they  sit  down  under  the  eaves  of  that  dripping 
iron?  Or  shall  they  climb  to  the  cloud  of  death 
above  them,  and  pluck  out  its  lightnings  as  they  would 
straws  from  a  sheaf  of  wheat  ?     But  the  order  was  not 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AiiD   MEN.        257 

given.  And  now  the  arc  of  fire  on  the  crest  grows 
fiercer  and  longer.  The  reconnoissance  of  Monday  had 
failed  to  develop  the  heavy  metal  of  the  enemy.  The 
dull  fringe  of  the  hill  kmdles  with  the  flash  of  great 
guns.  I  count  the  fleeces  of  white  smoke  that  dot  the 
Ridge,  as  battery  after  battery  opens  upon  our  line,  until 
from  the  ends  of  the  growing  arc  they  sweep  down  upon 
i1  in  mighty  Xs  of  fire.  I  count  till  that  devil's  girdle 
numbers  thirteen  batteries,  and  my  heart  cries  out, 
"  Great  God,  when  shall  the  end  be  !"  There  is  a  poem 
I  learned  in  childhood,  and  so  did  you :  it  is  Campbell's 
"  Hohenlinden."  One  line  I  never  knew  the  meaning 
of  until  I  read  it  written  along  that  hill !  It  has  lighted 
lip  the  whole  poem  for  me  with  the  glow  of  battle  for- 
ever: 

"And  louder  than  the  bolts  of  heaven, 
Far  flashed  the  red  artillery." 

At  this  moment.  General  Granger's  aides  are  dashing 
out  with  an  order ;  they  radiate  over  the  field,  to  left, 
right,  and  front;  ''Take  the  Ridge  if  you  can"— 
"  Take  the  Ridge  if  you  can" — and  so  it  went  along  the 
line.  But  the  advance  had  already  set  forth  without 
it.  Stout-hearted  Wood,  the  iron-gray  veteran,  is  rally- 
ing on  his  men;  stormy  Turchin  is  delivering  brave 
words  in  bad  English;  Sheridan— " little  Phil"— you 
may  easily  look  down  upon  him  without  climbing  a  tree, 
and  see  one  of  the  most  gallant  leaders  of  the  age  if  you 
do— is  riding  to  and  fro  along  the  first  line  of  rifle- 
pits,  as  calmly  as  a  chess-player.  An  aide  rides  up 
with  the  order.  "  Avery,  that  flask,"  said  the  general. 
Quietly  filling  the  pewter  cup,  Sheridan  looks  up  at  the 

17 


258        JAKING    ENTERPRISES  OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

batter;)'  that  frowns  above  him,  by  Bragg's  headquarters, 
shakes  his  cap  amid  that  storm  of  every  thing  that  kills, 
when  you  could  hardly  hold  out  your  hand  without  catch- 
ing a  bullet  in  it,  and  with  a  ''  how  are  you  ?"  tosses  off 
the  cup.  The  blue  battle  flag  of  the  rebels  fluttered  a 
response  to  the  cool  salute,  and  the  next  instant  the  batp 
tery  let  fly  its  six  guns,  showering  Sheridan  with  earth. 
Alluding  to  that  compliment  with  any  thing  but  a 
blank  cartridge,  the  general  said  to  me  in  his  quiet  way, 

"  I  thonght  it ungenerous  !"     The  recording  angel 

will  drop  a  tear  upon  the  word  for  the  part  he  played 
that  day.  Wheeling  toward  the  men,  he  cheered  them 
to  the  charge,  and  made  at  the  hill  like  a  bold  riding 
hunter ;  they  were  out  of  the  rifle-pits,  and  into  the  tem- 
pest, and  struggling  up  the  steep,  before  you  could  get 
breath  to  tell  it,  and  so  they  were  throughout  the  in- 
spired line. 

And  now  you  have  before  you  one  of  the  most  start- 
ling episodes  of  the  war;  I  cannot  remember  it  in  words ; 
dictionaries  aie  beggarly  things.  But  I  mai/  tell  you  they 
did  not  storm  that  mountain  as  you  would  think.  They 
dash  out  a  little  way,  and  then  slacken ;  they  creep  up, 
hand  over  hand,  loading  and  firing,  and  wavering  and 
halting,  from  the  first  line  of  works  to  the  second  ;  they 
bui-st  into  a  charge  with  a  cheer,  and  go  over  it.  Sheets 
of  flame  baptize  them ;  plunging  shot  tear  away  com- 
rades on  left  and  right;  it  is  no  longer  shoulder  to 
shoulder ;  it  is  God  for  us  all !  Under  tree  trunks, 
among  rocks,  stumbling  over  the  dead,  struggling  with 
the  living,  facing  the  steady  fire  of  eight  thousand  in- 
fantry pour9d  down  upon  their  heads  as  if  it  were  the 
old  his*;oric  curse  from  heaven,  they  wrestle  with  the 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN.        269 

Ridge.  Ten,  fifteen,  twenty  minutes  go  by  like  a  reluc- 
tant century.  The  batteries  roll  like  a  drum ;  between 
the  second  and  last  lines  of  rebel  works  is  the  torrid 
zone  of  the  battle;  the  hill  sways  up  like  a  wall  before 
them  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  but  our  brave 
mountaineers  are  clambering  steadily  on — u}3 — upward 
still !  You  may  think  it  strange,  but  I  would  not  have 
recalled  them  if  I  could.  They  would  have  lifted  you, 
as  they  did  me,  in  full  view  of  the  heroic  grandeui' : 
they  seemed  to  be  spurning  the  dull  earth  under  their 
feet,  and  going  up  to  do  Homeric  battle  with  the  greater 
gods. 

And  what  do  those  men  follow  ?  If  you  look  you  shall 
see  that  the  thirteen  thousand  are  not  a  rushing  herd  of 
human  creatures ;  that  along  the  Gothic  roof  of  the  Ridge 
a  row  of  inverted  Vs  is  slowly  moving  up  in  line,  a 
mighty  lettering  on  the  hill's  broad  side.  At  the  angles 
of  those  Vs  is  something  that  glitters  like  a  wing.  Your 
heart  gives  a  great  bound  when  you  think  what  it  is — 
tJie  regimental  /lag — and  glancing  along  the  front  count 
fifteen  of  those  colors  that  were  borne  at  Pea  Ridge, 
waved  at  Shiloh,  glorified  at  Stone  River,  riddled  at 
Chickamuuga.  Nobler  than  Caesar's  rent  mantle  are  they 
all !  And  up  move  the  banners,  now  fluttering  like  a 
wounded  bird,  now  faltering,  now  sinking  out  of  sight- 
Three  times  the  flag  of  one  regiment  goes  down.  And 
you  know  why.  Three  dead  color-sergeants  lie  just 
there,  but  the /lag  is  immortal — thank  God  ! — and  up  it 
comes  again,  and  the  Vs  move  on.  At  the  left  of  Wood, 
three  regiments  of  Baird — Turchin,  the  Russian  thunder- 
bolt, is  there — hurl  themselves  against  a  bold  point 
strong  with  rebel  works ;  for  a  long  quarter  of  an  hour 


260       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

three  flags  are  perched  and  motionless  on  a  plateau 
under  the  frown  of  the  hill.  Will  they  linger  forever  ? 
I  give  a  look  at  the  sun  behind  me ;  it  is  not  more  than 
a  hand's  breadth  from  the  edge  of  the  mountain ;  its 
level  rays  bridge  the  valley  from  Chattanooga  to  the 
Ridge  with  beams  of  gold ;  it  shines  in  the  rebel  faces ; 
it  brings  out  the  Federal  blue  ;  it  touches  up  the  flags. 
Oh,  for  the  voice  that  could  bid  that  sun  stand  still !  I 
turn  to  the  battle  again :  those  three  flags  have  taken 
flight !     They  are  upward  bound. 

The  race  of  the  flags  is  growing  every  moment  more 
terrible.  There  at  the  right,  a  strange  thing  catchea  the 
eye ;  one  of  the  inverted  Vs  is  turning  right  side  up. 
The  men  struggling  along  the  converging  lines  to  over- 
take the  flag  have  distanced  it,  and  there  the  colors  are, 
sinking  down  in  the  centre  between  the  rising  flanks. 
The  line  wavers  like  a  great  billow  and  up  comes  the 
banner  again,  as  if  heaved  on  a  surge's  shouldei.  The 
iron  sledges  beat  on.  Hearts,  loyal  and  brave,  are  on 
the  anvil,  all  the  way  from  base  to  summit  of  Mission 
Ridge,  but  those  dreadful  hammers  never  intermit. 
Swarms  of  bullets  sweep  the  hill ;  you  can  count  twenty- 
eight  balls  in  one  little  tree.  Things  are  growing  des- 
perate up  aloft ;  the  rebels  tumble  rocks  upon  the  rising 
line ;  they  light  the  fuses  and  roll  shells  down  the  steep ; 
they  load  the  guns  with  handfuls  of  cartridges  in  their 
haste ;  and  as  if  there  were  powder  in  the  word,  they 
shout  "  Chickamauga !"  down  upon  the  mountaineers. 
But  it  would  not  all  do,  and  just  as  the  sun,  weary  of 
the  scene,  was  sinking  out  of  sight,  with  magnificent 
bursts  all  along  the  line,  exactly  as  you  have  seen  the 
crested   sjas   leap  up  at  the  breakwater,  the  advance 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN.        261 

Burged  over  the  crest,  and  in  a  minute  those  flags  flut- 
tered along  the  fringe  where  fifty  rebel  guns  were  ken- 
neled.    God  bless  the  flag !  God  save  the  Union ! 

What  colors  were  first  upon  the  mountain  battlement 
I  dare  not  try  to  say ;  bright  honor  itself  may  be  proud 
to  bear — nay,  proud  to  follow  the  hindmost.  Foot  b^ 
foot  they  had  fought  up  the  steep,  slippery  with  much 
blood ;  let  them  go  to  glory  together.  A  minute  and 
they  were  all  there,  fluttering  along  tlie  ridge  from  left 
to  right.  The  rebel  hordes  rolled  off  to  the  north,  rolled 
off  to  the  east,  like  the  clouds  of  a  worn  out  storm. 
Bragg,  ten  minutes  before,  was  putting  men  back  in  the 
rifle-pili.  His  gallant  gray  was  straining  a  nerve  for 
him  now,  and  the  man  rode  on  horseback  into  Dixie's 
bosom,  who  arrayed  in  some  prophet's  discarded  mantle, 
foretold  on  Monday  that  the  Yankees  would  leave 
Chattanooga  in  five  days.  They  left  in  three,  and  by 
way  of  Mission  Ridge,  straight  over  the  mountains  as 
their  forefathers  went!  As  Sheridan  rode  up  to  the 
guns,  the  heels  of  Breckinridge's  horse  glittered  in  thw 
last  rays  of  sunshine.  The  crest  was  hardly  "  well  off 
with  the  old  love  before  it  was  on  with  the  new." 

But  the  scene  on  the  narrow  plateau  can  never  be 
painted.  As  the  blue  coats  surged  over  its  edge,  cheer  on 
cheer  rang  like  bells  through  the  valley  of  the  Chickamau- 
ga.  Men  flung  themselves  exhausted  upon  the  ground. 
They  laughed  and  wept,  shook  hands,  embraced ;  turned 
round  and  did  all  four  over  again.  It  wf^s  iis  wild  as  a 
carnival.  Granger  was  received  with  a  shout.  "  Soldiers," 
he  srid,  "  you  ought  to  be  court-martialed,  every  man  of 
you  I  ordered  you  to  take  the  rifle-pits  and  you  scaled 
the  noun  tain  !'  but  it  ^^as  not  Mars'  horrid  front  exactly 


262        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

with  which  he  said  it,  for  his  cheeks  were  wet  with  teaiB 
as  honest  as  the  blood  that  reddened  all  the  route. 
Wood  uttered  words  that  rang  like  "Napoleon's,"  and 
Sheridan,  the  rowels  at  his  horse's  flanks,  was  ready  for 
a  dash  down  the  Ridge  with  a  "  view  halloo,"  for  a  fox 
hunt. 

But  you  must  not  think  this  was  all  there  was  of  the 
scene  on  the  crest,  for  fight  and  frolic  was  strangely 
mingled.  Not  a  rebel  had  dreamed  a  man  of  us  all 
would  live  to  reach  the  summit,  and  when  a  little  wave 
of  the  Federal  cheer  rolled  up  and  broke  over  the  crest, 
they  defiantly  cried  "  Hurrah  and  be  damned  !"  the  next 
minute  a  Union  regiment  followed  the  voice,  the  rebels 
delivered  their  fire,  and  tumbled  down  in  the  rifle-pits, 
their  faces  distorted  with  fear.  No  sooner  had  the  sol- 
diers scrambled  to  the  Ridge  and  straightened  themselves, 
than  up  muskets  and  away  they  blazed.  One  of  them, 
fairly  beside  himself  between  laughing  and  crying, 
seemed  puzzled  at  which  end  of  his  piece  he  should  load, 
and  so  abandoning  the  gun  and  the  problem  together, 
he  made  a  catapult  of  himself  and  fell  to  hurling  stones 
after  the  enemy.  And  he  said,  as  he  threw — well,  you 
know  our  "  army  swore  terriblj'  in  Flanders."  Bayonets 
glinted  and  muskets  rattled  General  Sheridan's  horse 
was  killed  under  him ;  Richard  was  not  in  his  role,  and 
so  he  leaped  upon  a  rebel  gun  for  want  of  another 
Rebel  artillerists  are  driven  from  their  batteries  at  the 
edge  of  the  sword  and  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  two 
rebel  guns  are  swung  around  upon  their  old  masters. 
But  there  is  nobody  to  load  them.  Light  and  heavy 
artillery  do  not  belong  to  the  winged  kingdom.  Two 
infantrymen  claiming    to  be  old  artillerists,  volunteer. 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        ii63 

Granger  turns  captain  of  the  guns,  and — right  about 
wheel ! — in  a  moment  they  are  growling  after  the  flying 
enemy.  I  say  ''flying,"  but  that  is  figurative.  The 
many  run  like  Spanish  merinos,  but  the  few  fight  likfj 
gray  wolves  at  bay ;  they  load  and  fire  as  they  retreat  i 
they  are  fairly  scorched  out  of  position. 

A  sharpshooter,  fancying  Granger  to  be  worth  the 
powder,  coolly  tries  his  hand  at  him.  The  general  heari 
the  zip  of  a  ball  at  one  ear,  but  doesn't  mind  it.  In  a 
minute  away  it  sings  at  the  other.  He  takes  the  hint, 
sweeps  with  his  glass  the  direction  whence  the  couple 
came,  and  brings  up  the  marksman,  just  drawing  a  bead 
upon  him  again.  At  that  instant  a  Federal  argument 
persuades  the  cool  hunter  and  down  he  goes.  That  long 
range  gun  of  his  was  captured,  weighed  twenty -four 
pounds,  was  telescope-mounted,  a  sort  of  mongrel  howit- 
zer. 

A  colonel  is  slashing  away  with  his  sabre  in  a  ring  of 
rebels.  Down  goes  his  horse  under  him  ;  they  have  him 
on  the  hip ;  one  of  them  is  taking  deliberate  aim,  when 
up  rushes  a  lieut.^nant,  clasps  a  pistol  to  one  ear  and 
roars  in  at  the  other,  "  Who  the  h — 1  are  you  shooting 
at?"  The  fellow  drops  his  piece,  gasps  out,  "I  surren- 
der," and  the  next  instant  the  gallant  lieutenant  falls 
eharply  wounded,  He  is  a  "roll  of  honor"  officer, 
straight  up  from  the  ranks,  and  he  honors  the  roll. 

A  little  German  in  Wood's  Division  is  pierced  like  the 
lid  of  a  pepper-box,  but  he  is  neither  dead  nor  wounded. 
"  See  here,"  he  says,  rushing  up  to  a  comrade,  "  a  pullet 
hit  te  preach  of  mine  gun — a  pullet  in  mine  pocket' 
book — a  pullet  in  mine  coat  tail — they  shoots  me  tree, 
five  time,  and  py  dam  T  gives  dem  h — 1  yet  I" 


264       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS    AND    MEN. 

But  I  can  render  you  no  idea  of  the  battle  caldron 
that  boiled  on  the  plateau.  An  incident  here  and  there 
I  have  given  you,  and  you  must  fill  out  the  picture  for 
yourself.  Dead  rebels  lay  thick  around  Bragg's  head- 
quarters and  along  the  Ridge.  Scabbards,  broken  aims, 
artillery  horses,  wrecks  of  gun-carriages,  and  bloody 
garments,  strewed  the  scene ;  and,  tread  lightly,  oh !  loyal- 
hearted,  the  boys  in  blue  are  lying  there ;  no  more  the 
Bounding  charge,  no  more  the  brave,  wild  cheer,  and 
never  for  them,  sweet  as  the  breath  of  the  new-mown 
hay  in  the  old  home  fields,  "  The  Soldier's  Return  from 
the  War."  A  little  waif  of  a  drummer-boy,  somehow 
drifted  up  the  mountain  in  the  surge,  lies  there ;  his 
pale  face  upward,  a  blue  spot  on  his  breast.  Muffle  his 
drum  for  the  poor  child  and  his  mother. 

Our  troops  met  one  loyal  welcome  on  the  height. 
How  the  old  Tennessean  that  gave  it  managed  to  get 
there  nobody  knows,  but  there  he  was,  grasping  a  col- 
onel's hand,  and  saying,  while  tears  ran  down  his  face  • 
"  God  be  thanked  !  1  knew  the  Yankees  would  fight !" 
With  the  receding  flight  and  swift  pursuit  the  battle 
died  away  in  murmurs,  far  down  the  valley  of  the 
Chickamauga ;  Sheridan  was  again  in  the  saddle,  and 
with  his  command  spurring  on  after  the  enemy.  Tall 
columns  of  smoke  were  rising  at  the  left.  The  rebels 
were  burning  a  train  of  stores  a  mile  long.  In  the  ex- 
ploding rebel  caissons  we  had  "  the  cloud  by  day,"  and 
now  we  are  having  "^  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night."  The 
sun,  the  golden  dish  of  the  scales  that  balance  day  and 
night,  had  hardly  gone  down,  when  up,  beyond  Mission 
Ridge,  rose  the  silver  side,  for  that  night  it  was  full 
moon.     Thf  troubled  day  was  done.     A  Federal  general 


DARING   ENIERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.       205 

mt  in  the  seat  of  the  man  wlio,  <yn  the  very  Saturday  hefors 
the  hattle,  had  sent  a  flag  to  the  Federal  lines  with  tlie 
toords  : 

"  Humanity  would  dictate  the  removal  of  all  non- 
combatants  from  Chattanooga,  as  I  am  about  to  shell 
the  city !" 

Sat  there,  and  announced  to  the  Fourth  Corps  the 
congratulations  and  thanks,  just  placed  in  his  hands, 
&om  the  commander  of  the  department : 

"  Braoo's  Headquarters,  Mission  Ridoe,  November  25,  1863. 

"  In  conveying  to  you  this  distinguished  recognition 
of  your  signal  gallantry  in  carrying,  through  a  terrible 
storm  of  iron,  a  mountain  crowned  with  batteries  and 
enriched  with  rifle-pits,  I  am  constrained  to  express  my 
own  admiration  of  your  noble  conduct,  and  am  proud 
to  tell  you  that  the  veteran  generals  from  othei  fields, 
who  witnessed  your  heroic  bearing,  place  your  assault 
and  triumph  among  the  most  brilliant  achievements  of 
the  war.  Thanks,  soldiers !  You  have  made,  this 
day,  a  glorious  page  of  history. 

"Gordon  Granger." 

There  was  a  species  of  poetic  justice  in  it  all,  that 
would  have  made  the  prince  of  dramatists  content.  The 
ardor  of  the  men  had  been  quenchless :  there  had  been 
three  days  of  fitful  fever,  and  after  it,  alas  !  a  multitude 
had  slept  well.  The  work  on  the  right,  left,  and  centre 
cost  us  full  four  thousand  killed  and  wounded.  There 
is  a  tremble  of  the  lip,  but  a  flash  of  pride  in  the  eye, 
as  the  soldier  tells  with  how  many  he  went  in — how 
expressive  that  "  went  in  !"  Of  a  truth  it  was  wading 
in  deep  waters — with  how  few  we  came  out.  I  cannot 
try  to  swing  the  burden  clear  of  any  heart,  by  throwing 
»uto  tJie  scale  upon  the  other  side  the  dead  weight  of 


266        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

fifty- two  pieces  of  captured  artillery,  ten  thousand  stand 
of  arms,  and  heaps  of  dead  rebels,  or  by  driving  upon  a 
herd  of  seven  thousand  prisoners.  Nothing  of  all  this 
can  lighten  that  burden  a  single  ounce,  but  this  thought 
may,  and  I  dare  to  utter  it :  These  three  days'  work 
brought  Tennessee  to  resurrection ;  set  the  flag,  that 
fairest  blossom  in  all  this  flowery  world,  to  blooming  in 
its  native  soil  once  more. 

That  splendid  march  from  the  Federal  line  of  battle 
to  the  crest,  was  made  in  one  hour  and  five  minutes, 
but  it  was  a  grander  march  toward  the  end  of  rebeldom; 
a  glorious  campaign  of  sixty-five  minutes  toward  the 
white  borders  of  peace.  It  made  that  fleeting  Novem- 
ber afternoon  imperishable.  Than  the  assault  upon 
Mission  Ridge,  I  know  of  nothing  more  gallant  in  the 
annals  of  the  war.  Let  it  rank  foremost  with  the  storm- 
mg  of  Forts  Scharnitz  and  Alma,  that  covered  the  French 
arms  with  undying  fame. 

Reader  and  writer  must  walk  together  down  the 
heights  another  day ;  press  that  rugged  earth  with  the 
first  backward  step  a  loyal  foot  has  made  upon  it,  and, 
as  we  linger,  recall  a  few  of  the  incidents  that  will  ren- 
der it  historic  and  holy  ground  for  coming  time.  Let 
the  struggle  be  known  as  the  Battle  of  Mission  Ridge, 
and  when,  in  calmer  days,  men  make  pilgrimage,  and 
women  smile  again  among  the  mountains  of  the  Cum- 
berland, they  will  need  no  guide.  Rust  will  have  eaten 
the  guns ;  the  graves  of  the  heroes  will  have  subsided 
like  waves;  weary  of  their  troubling,  the  soldier  and  his 
leader  will  have  lain  down  together;  but  there,  em- 
bossed upon  the  globe,  Mission  Ridge  will  stand  its  fit 
ting  monument  forever. 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFI/IJERS   AND    MEN.        267 


SHERIDAN  AT  MIDDLETOWN. 

One  of  the  most  brilliant  actions  of  the  war — indeed, 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  a,Ry  war  of  modern  times — 
was  that  victory  which  the  gallant  Sheridan  snatched 
from  defeat  and  disaster  at  Middletown,  Virginia,  on  the 
19th  of  October,  1864.  Three  or  four  times  in  the  mil- 
itary history  of  the  Ust  five  hundred  years,  has  an  able 
and  skilful  commander  succeeded  in  stemming  the  cur- 
rent of  disaster,  and  turning  a  defeat  into  a  victory ;  but 
it  has  usuall}^  been  done  either  by  bringing  up  reinforce- 
ments, and  thus  staying  the  progress  of  the  exultant 
and  careless  foe,  or  by  suffering  a  day  to  intervene  be- 
tween the  defeat  and  the  victory ;  at  Marengo,  it  waa 
the  approach  of  reinforcements  which  enabled  Dessaix 
to  say  to  the  first  Napoleon : '"  "We  have  lost  one  battle, 
but  it  is  not  too  late  to  win  another."  At  Shiloh,  the 
reinforcements  from  Wallace's  Division  and  BuelFs 
Corps,  and  the  intervention  of  the  night,  enabled  Grant 
to  recover,  on  the  second  day,  all,  and  more  than  all, 
the  losses  of  the  first.  At  Stone  River,  the  skill  and 
genius  of  Rosecrans  stayed  the  tide  of  disaster,  and 
enabled  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  though  sufferii]g 
heavily,  to  maintain  its  position,  and  two  days  later  to 
inflict  upon  the  enemy  a  fearful  punishment  for  his 
temerity.  At  Chickamauga,  General  Thomas  maintained 
himself  grandly  in  the  face  of  a  foe  greatly  superior  to 
himself  in  numbers,  and  after  one  third  of  the  army  had 
been  driven  from  the  field,  still  held  the  rebels  at  bay; 
and,  with  the  aid  of  Steedman*s  reinforcements,  drave 
then,  back  a  little  distance ;  but  in  none  of  these  cases. 


'^,68        DARING    ENTERPJRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

except  that  at  Marengo,  was  the  army  rallied  from  a 
defeat  able  at  once  to  drive  the  foe  in  return,  and,  in 
that  case,  only  by  the  aid  of  reinforcements. 

In  Sheridan's  case,  there  were  no  reinforcements  ex- 
cept himself;  his  army  was  defeated  ard  routed  ;  yet,  at 
his  cheering  voice,  and  under  the  influence  of  his  extra- 
ordinary personal  magnetism,  the  flying,  demoralized, 
and  routed  troops,  turned  back  and  hurled  by  his  skilful 
hand  upon  the  enemy,  caused  them  in  turn  to  fly  with 
Huch  precipitation  as  to  leave  cannon,  arms,  ammunition, 
every  thing,  behind  them.  "Well  did  General  Grant  char- 
acterize the  brave  soldier  who  could  do  this  as  one  of  the 
greatest  of  generals. 

With  a  brief  description  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
defeat,  we  will  proceed  to  give  the  narrative  of  an  eye- 
witness and  participator  in  the  subsequent  victory 
Sheridan  had,  as  those  familiar  with  the  history  of  the 
campaigns  of  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah  will  recol- 
lect, repeatedly  defeated  Early  during  the  previous 
month,  driving  him  with  heavy  loss  across  and  south- 
ward from  the  Opequan  creek,  on  the  19th  of  September, 
and  sending  him  "  whirling"  through  Winchester ;  rout- 
ing him  at  Fisher's  Hill  on  the  22d  of  September,  and 
sending  his  troops  in  rapid  flight  and  disorder  up  the 
valley  to  Harrisonburg;  had  "fixed"  the  new  cavalry 
general,  Rosser,  on  the  8th  of  October,  and  repsllei 
with  heavy  loss  a  covert  attack  made  by  Early  from 
North  m.ountain,  on  the  12th  of  October.  Supposing 
that  the  rebel  general  had  been  sufficiently  punished  to 
be  willing  to  remain  quiet,  General  Sheridan  made  a 
flying  visit  to  his  out-stations  along  the  newly  repaired 
Marassas  Gap  Railroad,  and  thence  to  Washington,  from 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OmCERS   AND    MEN.         20'J 

whence  he  hastened  back  to  his  command,  and,  on  the 
night  of  the  18th  of  October,  reached  Winchester. 

B  it  Early,  restless  and  dissatisfied  with  the  result  of 
his  previous  encounters  with  the  gallant  cavalry  general, 
was  yet  determined  to  try  his  fortune  once  more,  and 
learning  of  his  absence,  and  having  received  information, 
which  he  afterward  found  to  his  sorrow  was  false,  that 
Sheridan  had  gone  with  the  Sixth  Corps  to  join  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  was  emboldened  to  make 
another  attack  with,  as  he  conceived,  good  hope  of  sue-- 
cess.  He  had  himself  been  reinforced  meanwhile  by  a 
considerable  body  of  troops  (twelve  thousand,  it  was  said), 
a  part  of  them  without  arms,  but  well  drilled  and  ready 
for  fight,  if  they  could  only  procure  weapons.  With  a 
daring  which  partook  largely  of  rashness,  he  sent  his 
troops  into  the  gorge  at  the  base  of  the  Massanutten 
mountain,  across  the  north  fork  of  the  Shenandoah,  and 
skirted  Crook's  position  for  miles,  passing  for  a  consider- 
able distance  within  four  hundred  yards  of  the  Union 
pickets.  Had  his  troops  been  detected  in  this  march 
(and  the  chances  of  detection  were  almost  a  hundred  to 
one),  his  army  would  have  been  ruined.  The  Union 
infantry  would  have  cut  his  in  two,  and  the  Union 
cavalry  would  have  prevented  his  retreat  to  Fisher's 
Hill.  But  his  management  of  the  advance  was  admira- 
ble. The  canteens  had  been  left  in  his  camp,  lest  they 
should  clatter  against  the  shanks  of  the  bayonets ;  the 
men  crept  noiselessly  along  in  the  darkness,  and  passed 
the  dangerous  points  with  complete  success.  Once,  in- 
deed, they  were  in  danger  of  discovery.  The  rustling 
of  the  underbrush,  and  the  muflHed  tramp  of  this  large 
body  of  men,  was  heard  hy  some  of  th  ?  outlying  pickets, 


270       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   ME!^. 

who  reported  it ;  but  the  approach  of  Early  seemed  so 
utterly  improbable  that  no  precautions  were  taken  against 
a  surprise.  By  dawn  of  day,  Gordon's  Rebel  Division, 
closely  followed  by  Raraseur,  Pegram,  Kershaw,  and 
Wharton,  had  flanked  Crook's  Corps  (Army  of  Western 
Virginia),  and  assaulted  his  camp  before  the  men  could 
form  in  line  of  battle.  The  Union  army  was  ranged,  in 
military  phrase,  en  ecJielon;  i.  e.,  in  successive  steps,  the 
Army  of  Virginia,  which  was  in  front,  extending  also  far- 
thest south.  Having  flanked  and  rolled  up  this  corps,  the 
rebels,  Gordon  still  heading,  proceeded  to  flank  the  Nine- 
teenth Corps,  which  occupied  the  next  *'  step"  of  the 
echelon,  and,  after  a  short  but  determined  struggle,  drove 
that  also  northward.  The  Sixth  Corps  interposed  a 
stronger  obstacle  to  their  progress,  but  that,  too,  was 
finally  flanked,  and  all  were  compelled  to  retreat  north- 
ward through  Middletown  toward  Winchester.  The 
first  stragglers  had  by  this  time,  about  ten  A.  m.,  reached 
Winchester. 

The  camps,  commissary  supplies,  and  lines  of  earth 
works  of  the  Union  army,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  rebels,  and  they  had  crptured  twenty-four  cannon 
and  twelve  hundred  prisoners.  The  Union  army  was 
beaten,  badly  beaten,  though  not  routed;  they  were  re- 
treating slowly  and  in  good  order,  but  still  retreating 
toward  Winchester. 

How  all  this  was  changed  by  Sheridan's  arrival,  let 
Captain  de  Forest,  himself  a  staff-officer  and  actor  in  thn 
battle,  tell : 

At  this  time,  ai  the  close  of  this  unfortunate  struggle 
^f  five  hours,  we  were  j  ^ined  by  Sheridan,  who  had 


DARING   ENTER  PRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        271 

passed  the  niglit  in  Winchester,  on  his  way  back  from 
Washington,  and  who  must  have  heard  of  Early's  attack 
about  the  time  that  its  success  became  decisive.  It  was 
near  ten  o'clock  when  he  came  up  the  pike  at  a  three- 
minute  trot,  swinging  his  cap  and  shouting  to  the  strag- 
glers :  "  Face  the  other  way,  boys.  We  are  going  back 
to  our  camps.  We  are  going  to  lick  them  out  of  their 
boots !" 

The  wounded  by  the  roadside  raised  their  hoarse 
voices  to  shout;  the  great  army  of  fugitives  turned 
about  at  sight  of  him,  and  followed  him  back  to  the 
fiont;  they  followed  him  back  to  the  slaughter  as 
hounds  follow  their  master.  The  moment  he  reached 
the  army  he  ordered  it  to  face  about,  form  line,  and 
advance  to  the  position  which  it  had  last  quitted.  Then 
for  two  hours  he  rode  along  the  front,  studying  the 
ground  and  encouraging  the  men.  "•  Boys,  if  I  had  been 
here  this  never  should  have  happened,"  he  said,  in  his 
animated,  earnest  way.  "  I  tell  you  it  never  should 
have  happened.  And  now  we  are  going  back  to  our 
camps.  We  are  going  to  get  a  twist  on  them.  We  are 
going  to  lick  them  out  of  their  boots." 

The  Sixth  Corps  held  tne  pike  and  its  vicinity.  On 
its  right  the  Nineteenth  Corps  was  formed  in  double 
line,  under  cover  of  a  dense  wood,  the  first  division  on 
the  right,  the  second  on  the  Jeft.  The  rearmost  line 
threw  up  a  rude  breastwork  ol  stones,  rails,  and  trees, 
covered  by  the  advanced  line  standing  to  arms,  and 
by  a  strong  force  of  skirmishers  stationed  two  hun- 
dred yards  to  the  front,  but  still  within  the  forest.  For 
two  hours  ay  was  silence,  preparation,  reorganization, 
and  suspense.     Then  came  a  message  from  Sheridan  to 


272       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

Emory  that  the  enemy  in  column  were  advancing 
against  the  Nineteenth  Corps;  and  shortly  afterward 
the  column  appeared  among  the  lights  and  shadows  of 
the  autumnal  woods,  making  for  the  centre  of  our 
second  division.  There  was  an  awful  rattle  of  mus- 
ketry, which  the  forest  re-echoed  into  a  deep  roar,  and 
when  the  firing  stopped  and  the  smoke  cleared  away  no 
enemy  was  visible.  Emory  immediately  sent  word  to 
Sheridan  that  the  attack  had  been  repulsed. 

"  That's  good,  that's  good !"  Sheridan  answered, 
gayl3^  '^  Thank  God  for  that !  Now  then,  tell  General 
Emory  if  they  attack  him  again  to  go  after  them,  and 
to  follow  them  up,  and  to  sock  it  to  them,  and  to  give 
them  the  devil.  We'll  get  the  tightest  twist  on  them 
yet  that  ever  you  saw.  We'll  have  all  those  camps  and 
cannon  back  again."  All  this,  with  the  nervous  anima- 
tion characteristic  of  the  man,  the  eager  and  confident 
smile,  and  the  energetic  gesture  of  the  right  hand  down 
into  the  palm  of  the  left  at  every  repetition  of  the  idea 
of  attack. 

At  half-past  three  came  more  explicit  orders.  "  The 
entire  line  will  advance.  The  Nineteenth  Corps  will 
move  in  connection  with  the  Sixth  Corps.  The  right 
of  the  Nineteenth  will  swing  toward  the  left  so  as  to 
drive  the  enemy  upon  the  pike." 

One  of  our  staff  officers  exclaimed,  *'  By  Jove,  if  we 
beat  them  now  it  will  be  magnificent!" 

"And  we  are  very  likely  to  do  it,"  said  General 
Emory.     "  They  will  be  so  far  from  expecting  us." 

It  must  be  understood  that  the  enemy's  left  was  now 
his  strong  point,  being  supported  by  successive  wooded 
Rrests;  while  his  right  ran  out  to  the  pike  across  undu 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN.        273 

Kiting  op(3n  fields  which  presented  no  natural  line  of  re- 
sistance. Sheridan's  plan  was  to  push  them  off  the 
crests  by  a  turning  movement  of  our  right,  and  then, 
when  they  were  doubled  up  on  the  pike,  sling  his  cavalry 
at  them  across  the  Middletown  meadows.  With  a  solemn 
tranquillity  of  demeanor  our  infantry  rose  from  the  posi- 
tion where  it  had  been  lying,  and  advanced  through  the 
forest  into  the  open  ground  beyond.  There  was  a  silence 
of  suspense;  then  came  a  screaming,  crackling,  hum- 
ming rush  of  shell;  then  a  prolonged  roar  of  musketry, 
mingled  with  the  long-drawn  yell  of  our  charge ;  then 
the  artillery  ceased,  the  musketry  died  into  spattering 
bursts,  and  over  all  the  yell  rose  triumphant.  Every 
thins;  on  the  first  line — the  stone  walls,  the  advanced 
crest,  the  tangled  wood,  the  half  finished  breastworks — 
had  been  carried.  The  first  body  of  rebel  troops  to 
break  and  fly  was  Gordon's  Division,  the  same  which 
had  so  perseveringly  flanked  us  in  the  morning,  and 
which  was  now  flanked  by  our  own  first  division  of  the 
Nineteenth  Corps. 

After  this  there  was  a  lull  in  the  assault,  though  not 
in  the  battle.  The  rebel  artillery  re-opened  spitefully 
from  a  new  position,  and  our  musketry  responded  from 
the  crest  and  wood  which  we  had  gained.  Sheridan 
dashed  along  the  front,  re-organizing  tlie  line  for  a  second 
charge,  cheering  the  men  with  his  confident  smile  and 
emphatic  assurances  of  success,  and  giving  his  orders  in 
person  to  brigade,  division,  and  corps  commanders.  He 
took  special  pains  with  the  direction  of  our  first  divi- 
sion, w^heeling  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  face  square 
toward  the  pike,  and  form  nearly  a  right  angle  to  the 
enemy's  front.     Now  came   a  second   charge   upon  a 

18 


274       OARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND   MEN. 

Becond  line  of  stone  walls,  crests,  and  thickets,  exe- 
cuted with  as  much  enthusiasm  and  rapidity  as  if  the 
army  had  just  come  into  action.  Remember  that  our 
gallant  fellows  had  eaten  nothing  since  the  previous 
evening;  that  they  had  lost  their  canteens,  and  were 
tormented  with  thirst;  that  they  had  been  fighting  and 
manoeuvring,  frequently  at  double-quiclc,  for  nearly 
twelve  hours ;  and  that  they  were  sadly  diminished  in. 
numbers  by  the  slaughter  and  confusion  of  the  morning. 
Remember,  too,  that  this  lost  battle  was  retrieved  with- 
out a  reinforcement.  Only  veterans,  and  only  veterans 
of  the  best  quality,  disciplined,  intelligent,  and  brave, 
could  put  forth  such  a  supreme  effort  at  the  close  of  a 
long,  bloody,  and  disastrous  conllict.  As  one  of  Sheri- 
dan's staff  officers  followed  up  our  first  division,  and 
watched  the  yelling,  running,  panting  soldiers,  not  firing 
a  shot,  but  simjoly  dashing  along  with  parched,  open 
mouths,  he  said,  "  Those  men  are  doing  all  that  flesh 
and  blood  can." 

"  Your  fellows  on  the  right  went  in  mighty  pretty  this 
afternoon,"  I  heard  Custer  say  that  evening  to  Emory. 
"  I  hnd  to  sing  out  to  my  men,  ^Are  you  going  to  let  the 
infantry  beat  3'ou  ?' " 

Everybody  now  knows  by  reputation  this  brilliant 
officer,  and  can  understand  that  we  have  a  right  to  be 
proud  of  his  praise. 

The  battle  was  over.  Cavalry  on  the  flanks,  and  m- 
"antry  in  the  centre,  we  carried  the  second  line  with  the 
same  rush  and  with  even  greater  ease  than  the  first. 
Again  Early's  army  was  "  whirling  up  the  valley,"  in 
more  hopeless  confusion  this  time  than  after  Winches- 
ter or  Strasburg,  no  exertions  of  the  rebel  oflicers  being 


DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF    OFFICERS   AND    MEN.       275 

BufTicient  to  establish  another  Hue  of  resistance,  or  to 
check,  even  momentarily,  the  How  and  spread  of  the 
p?s.nic.  Colonel  Love,  of  the  One-hundred-and-sixteenth 
New  York,  dashed  his  horse  into  the  broken  ranks  of 
the  Second  South  Carolina,  and  captured  its  battle  flag, 
escaping  unhurt  from  the  bullets  of  the  color-guard. 
But  the  fighting  soon  swept  far  ahead  of  the  tired  in- 
fantry, which  followed  in  perfect  peace  over  the  ground 
that  during  the  morning  it  had  stained  with  the  blood 
of  its  retreat.  Dead  and  wounded  men,  dead  and 
wounded  horses,  dismounted  guns,  broken-down  cais- 
sons, muskets  with  their  stocks  shivered  and  their  bar- 
rels bent  double  by  shot,  splinters  of  shell,  battered 
bullets,  and  blood  over  all,  like  a  delirium  of  Lady 
Macbeth  or  the  Chourineur,  bore  testimony  to  the  des- 
perate nature  of  the  long,  wide-spread  conflict.  The 
number  of  slaughtered  horses  was  truly  extraordinary, 
showing  how  largely  the  cavalry  had  been  used,  and 
how  obstinately  the  artillery  had  been  fought.  I  noticed 
that  almost  every  dead  soldier  was  covered  by  an  over- 
coat or  blanket,  placed  over  him  by  some  friend  or  per- 
haps brother.  Of  the  wounded,  a  few  lay  quiet  and 
silent ;  here  and  there  one  uttered  wild,  quavering  criea 
expressive  of  intense  agony  or  despair;  others,  and 
these  the  majority,  groaned  from  time  to  time  gently, 
and  with  a  pitiful,  patient  courage.  One  man,  whose 
light  blue  trowsers  were  clotted  with  that  dull  crimson 
80  sickeningly  common,  and  whose  breath  was  short  and 
voice  hoarse,  called  feebly  as  we  passed,  "Hurrah- for 
General  Emory!" 

"Are  you  badly  hurt,  my  lad  ?"  asked  Emory,  stop" 
ping  his  horse. 


276        DARING   EXTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

"  My  leg  is  broken  by  a  "ifle  ball,  general.  I  su|> 
pose  I  shall  lose  it.  But  I  still  feel — as  if  I  could  say — 
hurrah  for  General  Emory.  I  fought  under  you — at 
Sabine  Crossroads — and  Pleasant  Hill." 

The  general  dismounted  to  give  the  sufferer  a  glass 
of  whisky,  and  left  a  guard  to  see  that  he  was  put  into 
an  ambulance. 

It  was  nearly  dark  when  our  corps  reached  its  camps. 
No  new  arrangement  of  the  line  was  attempted ;  in 
the  twilight  of  evening  the  regiments  filed  into  the 
same  positions  that  they  had  quitted  in  the  twilight  of 
dawn ;  and  the  tired  soldiers  lay  down  to  rest  among 
dead  comrades  and  dead  enemies.  They  had  lost  every 
thing  but  what  they  bore  on  their  backs  or  in  their 
hands;  their  shelter-tents,  knapsacks,  canteens,  and 
haversacks  had  been  plundered  by  the  rebels ;  and  they 
slept  that  night,  as  they  had  fought  that  day,  without 
food. 

But  there  was  no  rest  for  the  enemy  or  for  our  a  v- 
alry.  All  the  way  from  our  camps  to  Strasburg,  a  d  s- 
tance  of  four  miles,  the  pike  w^as  strewn  with  the  deb  is 
of  a  beaten  army ;  and  the  scene  in  Strasburg  itself  w  is 
such  a  flood  of  confused  flight  and  chase,  such  a  cha  )s 
of  wreck,  and  bedlam  of  panic,  as  no  other  defeat  of  the 
war  can  parallel.  Guns,  caissons,  ammunition  wagons, 
baggage  wagons,  and  ambulances  by  the  hundred,  with 
dead  or  entangled  and  struggling  horses,  were  jammed 
in  the  streets  of  the  little,  town,  impeding  alike  fugi- 
tives and  pursuers.  Our  troopers  dodged  through  the 
press  as  tliey  best  could,  pistoling,  sabreing,  and  taking 
prisoners.  A  private  of  the  Fifth  New  York  Cavalry 
riding  up  to  a  wagon,  ordered  the  five  rebels  who  were 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AKJ   MEN.        277 

in  it  to  surrender ;  and  when  they  only  Lashed  their 
horses,  into  a  wilder  gallop  he  shot  two  M-ith  his  re- 
volver and  brought  in  the  three  others.  The  usually 
gallant  and  elastic  Southern  infantry  were  so  stupefied 
by  fatigue  and  cowed  by  defeat  that  it  seemed  like  a 
flock  of  animals,  actually  taking  no  notice  of  mounted 
men  and  officers  from  our  army,  who  wandered  into  the 
wide  confusion  of  its  retreat.  Lieutenant  Gray,  Com- 
pany D,  First  Rhode  Island  Artillery,  galloped  up  to  a 
retreating  battery  and  ordered  it  to  face  about.  "  I  was 
told  to  go  the  rear  as  rapidly  as  possible,"  remonstrated 
the  sergeant  in  command.  "  You  don't  seem  to  know 
who  I  am,"  answered  Gray.  ''  I  am  one  of  those  d — d 
Yanks.  Countermarch  immediately !"  The  battery  was 
countermarched,  and  Gray  was  leading  it  off  alone,  when 
a  squadron  of  our  cavalry  came  up  and  made  the  cap- 
ture a  certainty. 

The  victory  was  pushed,  as  Sheridan  has  pushed  all 
his  victories,  to  the  utmost  possible  limit  of  success,  the 
cavalry  halting  that  night  at  Fisher's  Hill,  but  starting 
again  at  dawn,  and  continuing  the  chase  to  Woodstock, 
sixteen  miles  from  Middletown. 

It  was  a  gay  evening  at  our  headquarters,  although 
we  were  worn  out  with  fatigue,  and  as  chilled,  starved, 
and  shelterless  as  the  soldiers,  our  tents,  baggage, 
rations,  and  cooks,  having  all  gone  to  Winchester. 
Notwithstanding  these  discomforts,  notAvithstanding  tho 
thought  of  slain  and  wounded  comrades,  it  was  delight- 
ful to  talk  the  whole  day  over,  even  of  our  defeat  of  the 
morning,  because  we  could  say,  "All's  well  that  ends 
well."  It  was  laughable  to  think  of  the  fugitives  who 
had  fled  beyond  the  hearing  of  our  victory,  and  who 


278        JjARING    ENTERrRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN". 

were  now  on  their  way  to  Martinsburg,  spreading  the 
news  that  Sheridan's  army  had  been  totally  defeated, 
and  that  they  (of  course)  were  the  only  survivors. 
Then  every  half  hour  or  so  somebody  galloped  in  from 
the  advance  with  such  a  tale  of  continuing  success  that 
we  could  hardly  grant  our  credence  to  it  before  a  fresh 
messenger  arrived,  not  so  much  to  confirm  the  story  as 
to  exaggerate  it. 

It  was  "  Hurrah !  twenty  cannon  taken  at  Strasburg 
That  makes  twenty-six  so  far." 

*' Glorious!  Don't  believe  it.  Isn't  it  splendid? 
Impossible !  All  our  own  back  again,"  answered  the 
contradictory  chorus. 

Then  came  another  plunge  of  hoofs,  reining  up  with 
another  "  Hurrah !  forty-six  guns !  More  wagons  and 
ambulances  than  you  can  count !" 

In  truth  the  amount  of  material  captured  in  this  vic- 
tory w^as  extraordinary.  Two  days  after  the  battle  I 
saw  near  Sheridan's  headquarters  a  row  of  forty-nine 
pieces  of  artillery,  of  which  twenty-four  had  been  lost  by 
us  and  retaken,  while  the  others  were  Early's  own.  In 
addition,  the  rebels  lost  fifty  wagons,  sixty-five  ambu- 
lances (some  of  them  marked  "  Stonewall  Brigade"), 
sixteen  hundred  small  arms,  several  battle  flags,  fifteen 
hundred  prisoners,  and  probably  two  thousand  killed 
and  wounded.  Our  own  losses  were  :  Crook's  command, 
one  hundred  killed  and  wounded,  and  seven  hundred 
prisoners;  the  Ninteenth  Corps,  sixteen  hundred  killed 
and  wounded,  and  one  hundred  prisoners;  the  Sixth 
Corps,  thirteen  hundred  killed  and  wounded;  total, 
three  thousand  eight  hundred. 

The   only    reinforcement   which   the   Army   of    the 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN         279 

Sheiifuidoah  received,  or  needed  to  recover  its  lost  field 
of  battle,  camps,  intrenchments,  and  cannon  was  on**, 
man — Sheridan. 


Refusing  to  Volunteer  in  the  Rebel  Army.-  -In 
the  same  prison  with  Parson  Brownlow  and  other  Union- 
ists in  Tennessee,  was  a  venerable  clergyman,  ncwned 
Gate,  and  his  three  sons.  One  of  them,  James  Madison 
Gate,  a  most  exemplary  and  worthy  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  was  there  for  having  committed  no  other 
crime  than  that  of  refusing  to  volunteer  in  the  rebel 
army.  He  lay  stretched  at  full  length  upon  the  floor, 
with  one  fhickness  of  a  piece  of  carpet  under  him,  and 
an  old  overcoat  doubled  up  for  a  pillow — and  he  in  the 
agonies  of  death.  His  wife  came  to  visit  him,  bringing 
her  youngest  child,  which  was  but  a  babe.  They  were 
refused  admittance.  Parson  Brownlow  here  put  hia 
head  out  of  the  jail  window,  and  entreated  them,  for 
God's  sake,  to  let  the  poor  woman  come  in,  as  her  hus- 
band was  dying.  The  jailer  at  last  consented  that  she 
might  see  him  for  the  limited  time  of  fifteen  minutes. 
As  she  came  in,  and  looked  upon  her  husband's  wan  and 
emaciated  face,  and  saw  how  rapidly  he  was  sinking, 
she  gave  evident  signs  of  fainting,  and  would  have  fallen 
to  the  floor  with  the  babe  in  her  arms,  had  not  Parson 
B.  rushed  up  to  her  and  seized  the  babe.  Then  she 
sank  down  upon  the  breast  of  her  dying  husband,  unable 
to  speak.  When  the  fifteen  minutes  had  expired,  the 
officer  came  in,  and  in  an  insulting  and  peremptory  man- 
ner notified  her  that  the  interview  was  to  close. 


280        DARING   ENTERPRISES  OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

NARRATIVE  OF  CAPTAIN  JOHN  F.  PORTER,  JR, 

FOURTEENTH   NEW   YORK    CAVALRY — PARTICULARS  OF   HIS   EBCAFS. 

Captain  John  F.  Porter,  of  the  Fourteenth  New 
York  Cavalry,  arrived  in  New  York  on  Monday  night, 
February  15th,  1864,  from  Washington,  having  escaped 
from  Richmond,  where  he  was  a  prisoner  of  war.  Cap. 
tain  Porter  was  taken  prisoner  on  the  15th  of  June,  1863, 
in  the  attack  on  Port  Hudson.  He  was  carried  to  Jack- 
eon,  and  thence  conducted  to  the  rebel  capital,  which  he 
reached  on  the  29th  of  June.  In  Richmond,  he  was 
in(  arcerated  in  the  now  famous  Libby  prison. 

Some  two  months  previous  to  his  escape,  Captain  Por- 
ter determined  upon  making  such  an  attempt.  He  then 
tried  to  purchase  a  rebel  uniform,  but  could  not  get  it. 
At  a  later  date,  however,  he  succeeded  in  procuring  rebel 
clothing,  several  brother  officers  in  prison  providing  him 
mth.  each  article  suitable  for  his  purpose,  which  they 
3)ossessed.  Captam  Porter  was  so  emaciated  from  want 
if  food  and  the  sufferings  while  in  prison,  as  well  as  a 
ievere  wound  which  he  received  at  the  second  Bull  Run, 
that  he  found  much  difficulty  in  walking ;  but  after 
taking  a  little  exercise  daily,  and  gradually  increasing 
the  same,  he  soon  found  his  strength  increasing,  and 
nerved  himself  to  the  task  of  an  effort  to  escape. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29  th  of  last  Januarj^,  accom- 
panied by  Major  E.  L.  Bates  of  the  Eighteenth  Illinois 
Volunteers,  Captain  Porter  made  his  first  attempt.  He 
went  down  to  the  main  entry  of  the  prison  and  entered 
the  surgeon's  room.     Here  he  informed  the  surgeon  that 


DARING   tNTERPRISES  OF  OFFICERS   AND  MEN.       281 

he  was  attacked  with  chills,  and  so  deceived  this  excel- 
lent medical  gentleman  that  he  gave  him  medicine  fo/ 
the  disease.  He  next  passed  down  into  the  room  occu- 
pied by  the  commissary,  shaved  his  beard  and  darkened 
his  eyebrows  and  hair,  thus  disguising  himself  perfectly. 
Captain  Porter  did  not  then  endeavor  to  pass  out  of  tne 
gate,  but  waited  until  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
which  was  the  hour  designated  for  roll-call.  At  this 
time  he  went  into  the  middle  room  of  the  prison,  and, 
roll-call  being  over,  went  down  with  the  guard.  Captain 
Porter  then  waited  until  the  guard  went  into  the  build- 
ing, and  while  a  new  one  was  being  placed  on  duty, 
passed  Post  No.  1,  down  Carey  street,  in  which  Libby 
Prison  is  situated.  Having  got  outside  of  the  city  hmits, 
he  suddenly  stumbled  against  a  battery,  and,  seeing  a 
negro  in  the  vicinity,  asked  the  name  of  the  battery,  and 
was  told  it  was  No.  4.  Passed  out  along  the  Nine  Mile 
road,  and,  coming  to  a  wood,  stayed  there  over  night, 
and  returned  to  Richmond  next  morning,  in  order  to 
await  a  more  favorable  opportunity  for  reaching  the 
Union  lines.  In  Richmond,  Captain  Porter  now  re- 
mained nine  days  without  suspicion,  during  which  time 
he  passed  around  the  entire  fortifications  of  the  city. 
A.t  the  end  of  that  time  he  procured  a  passport  from  a 
rebel  officer,  and,  in  company  with  a  family  of  Irish 
refugees,  started  for  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Arriving 
at  Cat  Tail  Church,  in  Hanover  county,  the  party  were 
suddenly  surrounded  by  rebel  cavalry.  Captain  Porter  s 
passport  was  rigorously  examined,  and  his  person  robbed 
of  one  hundred  dollars  Confederate  money,  the  rebels 
leaving  him  fifty  in  his  possession.  Two  days  after, 
having  reached  the  Rappahannock,  the  river  was  crossed 


282       DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS    AND    MEN. 

into  Riclimond  county,  and  the  party  reached  the  banks^ 
of  the  Potomac  on  Thursday.  They  were  secreted  in 
the  house  of  a  Union  gentleman  until  Friday  night, 
who,  for  twenty  dollars  in  gold,  chartered  a  boat  to 
carry  them  to  Maryland.  They  were  then  landed  at 
Clement's  bay,  St.  Mary's  county,  Maryland.  Captain 
Porter  here  fell  in  w'ith  a  detachment  of  the  Second, 
Fifth,  and  Sixth  Regular  Cavalry,  and  was  by  them 
escorted  to  Leonardtowui.  Here  the  escaped  officer  was 
provided  with  transportation  to  Point  Lookout,  where, 
on  reporting  to  General  Manton,  he  w^as  sent  on  to 
Washington. 

Major  Bates,  who  escaped  a  few  hours  previous  to 
Captain  Porter,  was  subsequently  recaptured. 

Captain  Porter  says  that  the  tunnel  by  which  the  last 
batch  of  officers  made  their  escape  from  Libby  Prison, 
was  commenced  on  last  New  Year's  Night.  It  extended 
from  one  of  the  lower  rooms  of  the  prison  some  tw^o 
hundred  yards  into  the  street,  opening  on  a  vacant  lot. 


The  Youngest  Soldier  in  tee  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land.— At  the  Caledonian  supper  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
during  December,  1863,  General  Rosecrans  exhibited 
the  photograph  of  a  boy  who  he  said  was  the  youngest 
soldier  in  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  His  name  is 
Johnny  Clem,  twelve  years  of  age,  a  member  of  Com- 
pany C,  22d  Michigan  Infantry.  His  home  was  at  New- 
ark, Ohio.  He  first  attracted  the  attention  of  General 
Rosecrans  during  a  review  at  Nashville,  where  he  was 
acting  as  marker  for  his  regiment.     His  extreme  youth 


DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        283 

(he  is  quite  small  for  his  age)  and  intelligent  appearance 
interested  the  general,  and  calling  him  to  him  he  ques- 
tioned him  as  to  his  name,  age,  regiment,  etc.  General 
Rosecrans  spoke  encouragingly  to  the  young  soldier,  and 
told  him  to  come  and  see  him  whenever  he  came  where 
he  Avas.  He  saw  no  more  of  the  boy  until  the  end  of 
1863,  when  he  went  to  his  place  of  residence— the  Bur- 
net House — and  found  Johnny  Clem  sitting  on  his  sofa, 
waiting  to  see  him.  Johnny  had  experienced  some  of 
the  vicissitudes  of  war  since  last  they  met.  He  had 
been  captured  by  Wheeler's  cavalry  near  Bridgeport. 
His  captors  took  him  to  Wheeler,  who  saluted  him 
with — 

•'  What  are  you  doing  here,  you  d d  little  Yankee 

scoundrel  ?" 

Said  Johnny  Clem,  stoutly:  "General  Wheeler,  I 
am  no  more  a  d d  scoundrel  than  you  are,  sir." 

Johnny  said  that  the  rebels  stole  about  all  that  he 
had,  including  his  pocket-book,  which  contained  only 
twenty-five  cents. 

"  But  I  wouldn't  have  cared  for  the  rest,"  he  added, 
"if  they  hadn't  stolen  my  hat,  which  had  three  bullet 
holes  it  received  at  Chickamaui^a." 

He  was  finally  paroled  and  sent  north.  On  Saturday 
he  was  on  his  way  from  Camp  Chase  to  his  regiment, 
having  been  exchanged.  General  Rosecrans  observed 
that  the  young  soldier  had  chevrons  on  his  arm,  and 
asked  the  meaning  of  it.  He  said  he  was  promoted  to 
a  corporal  for  shooting  a  rebel  colonel  at  Chickamauga. 
The  colonel  was  mounted,  and  stopped  Johnny  at  some 
point  on  the  field,  crying,  "Stop,  you  little  Yankee 
devil."     Johnny  halted,  bringing  his  Australian  rifie  to 


284       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN. 

an  "order,"  thus  throwingthe  colonel  off  his  guard,  cocked 
his  piece  (which  he  could  easily  do,  being  so  short),  and 
suddenly  bringing  his  piece  to  his  shoulder,  fired,  the 
colonel  falling  dead  with  a  bullet  through  his  breast. 

The  little  fellow  told  his  story  simply  and  modestly, 
and  the  general  determined  to  honor  his  bravery.  He 
gave  him  the  badge  of  the  '*'  Roll  of  Honor,'*  which  Mrs. 
Saunders,  wife  of  the  host  of  the  Burnet  House,  sewed 
upon  Johnny's  coat.  His  eyes  glistened  with  pride  as 
he  looked  upon  the  badge,  and  little  Johnny  seemed 
suddenly  to  have  grown  an  inch  or  two  taller,  he  stood 
so  erect.  He  left  his  photograph  with  General  Rosecrana, 
who  exhibits  it  with  pride.  We  may  hear  again  of 
Johnny  Clem,  the  youngest  soldier  in  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland. 


"  God's  Flag  :" — As  one  of  the  brigades  of  the  reserve 
corps  which  came  up  to  the  rescue  of  General  Thomas 
at  Chickamauga  was  marching  through  the  town  of 
Athens,  a  bright-eyed  girl  of  four  summers  was  looking 
intently  at  the  sturdy  fellows  as  they  tramped  by.  When 
she  saw  the  sun  glancing  through  the  stripes  of  dazzling 
red  and  on  the  golden  stars  of  the  flag,  she  exclaimed, 
clapping  her  hands  :  ^'  Oh,  pa !  pa !  God  made  that  flag  ! 
— see  the  stars ! — it's  God's  flag !"  A  shout,  deep  and 
loud,  went  up  from  that  column,  and  many  a  bronzed 
veteran  lifted  his  hat  as  he  passed  the  sunny-haired 
child  of  bright  and  happy  thoughts,  resolving,  if  his  good 
right  arm  availed  any  thing,  God's  flag  should  conquer. 
What  a  sweet  and  happ}^  christening  the  glorious  ensign 
received  from  those  artless  lips — ''God's  flag  !"and  so  it  is. 


DAKING    ENTLRPRISES   OF   OFFICERS  AND   MEN.        285 


HOW   THE    PRISONEKS    ESCAPED 

?BOM   THE     RICHMOND    JAIL — INCREDIBLE     UNDERGROUND    WORK  — 
FRIENDSHIP   OP   VIRGINIA   NEGROES. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  year  1S64  the  officers  con- 
fined in  Libby  Prison  conceived  the  idea  of  effecting 
their  own  exchange,  and  after  the  matter  had  been 
seriously  discussed  by  some  seven  or  eight  of  them,  mey 
undertook  to  dig  for  a  distance  toward  a  sewer  running 
into  a  basin.  This  they  proposed  doing  by  commencing 
at  a  point  in  the  cellar  near  to  the  chimney.  This 
cellar  was  immediately  under  ttie  hospital,  and  was  the 
receptacle  for  refuse  straw,  thrown  from  the  beds  when 
they  were  changed,  and  for  other  refuse  matter.  Above 
the  hospital  was  a  room  for  officers,  and  above  that  yet 
anotlier  room.  The  chimney  ran  through  all  these- 
rooms,  and  prisoners  who  were  in  the  secret,  impro- 
vised a  rope,  and  night  after  night  let  working  parties 
down,  who  successfully  prosecuted  their  excavating 
operations. 

The  dirt  was  hid  under  the  straw  and  other  refuse 
matter  in  the  cellar,  and  it  was  trampled  down  to  pre- 
vent too  great  a  bulk.  When  the  working  party  had 
got  to  a  considerable  distance  underground,  it  was  found 
difficult  to  haul  the  dirt  back  by  hand,  and  a  spittoon, 
which  had  been  furnished  the  officers  in  one  of  the 
rooms,  was  made  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a  cart.  A 
string  was  attached  to  it,  and  it  was  run  in  the  tunnel, 
and  as  soon  as  filled  was  drawn  out  and  deposited  under 
the   straw.     Bu:   after  hard   work,  and   digging  with 


286        DARLNG   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN". 

fino-er  nails,  knives,  and  chisels,  a  number  of  feet,  the 
working  party  found  themselves  stopped  by  piles  driven 
in  the  ground.  These  were  at  least  a  foot  in  diameter. 
But  they  were  not  discouraged.  Penknives,  or  any 
other  articles  that  would  cut,  were  called  for,  and  after 
chipping,  chipping,  chipping,  for  a  long  time,  the  piles 
were  severed,  and  the  tunnelers  commenced  again,  after 
a  time  reaching  the  sewer. 

But  here  an  unexpected  obstacle  met  tlieir  further  pro- 
gress. The  stench  from  the  sewer  and  the  flow  of  filthy 
water  was  so  great  that  one  of  the  party  fjiinted,  and 
was  dragged  out  more  dead  than  alive,  and  the  project 
in  that  direction  had  to  be  abandoned.  The  failure  was 
communicated  to  a  few  others  beside  those  who  had  first 
thought  of  escape,  and  then  a  party  of  seventeen,  after 
viewing  the  premises  and  surroundings,  concluded  to 
tunnel  under  Carey  street.  On  the  opposite  side  of  this 
street  from  the  prison  was  a  sort  of  carriage  house  or 
outhouse,  and  the  project  was  to  dig  under  the  street, 
and  emerge  from  under  or  near  the  house.  There  was 
a  high  fence  around  it,  and  the  guard  was  outside  of  this 
fence.  The  prisoners  then  commenced  to  dig  at  the  other 
side  of  the  chimney,  and  after  a  few  handfuls  of  din 
had  been  removed  they  found  themselves  stopped  by  a 
stone  Avail,  which  proved  afterward  to  be  three  feec 
thick.  The  party  were  by  no  means  daunted,  and  with 
pocket-knives  and  penknives  they  commenced  operations 
upon  the  stone  and  mortar. 

After  nineteen  days  and  nights  at  hard  work  they 
again  struck  the  earth  beyond  the  wall,  aiiu  pushed 
their  work  forward.  Here,  too  (after  they  got  some 
distance  under  ground")  the  friendly  spittoon  was  brought 


DA  KING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        2S7 

into  requisition,  and  the  dirt  was  liauled  out  in  small 
quantities.  After  digging  for  some  days  the  question 
arose  whether  they  had  not  reached  the  point  aimed 
at ;  and  in  order  if  possible  to  test  tlie  matter,  Captain 
Gallagher,  of  the  Second  Ohio  Regiment,  pretended  that 
he  had  a  box  in  the  carriage  house  over  the  way,  and 
desired  to  search  it  out.  This  carriage  house,  it  is  proper 
to  state,  was  used  as  a  receptacle  for  boxes  and  goods 
sent  to  the  prisoners  from  the  North,  and  the  recipients 
were  often  allowed  to  go,  under  guard,  across  the  street 
to  secure  their  property.  Captain  Gallagher  was  allowed 
permission  to  go  there,  and  as  he  walked  across  under 
guard,  he,  as  well  as  he  could,  paced  off  the  distance, 
and  concluded  that  the  street  was  about  fifty  feet  wide. 

On  the  6th  or  7th  of  February  the  working  party 
supposed  they  had  gone  a  sufficient  distance,  and  com- 
menced to  dig  upward.  When  near  the  surface  they 
heard  the  rebel  guards  talking  above  them,  and  dis- 
covered they  were  two  or  three  feet  yet  outside  the 
fence. 

The  displacing  of  a  stone  made  considerable  noise, 
and  one  of  the  sentinels  called  to  his  comrade  and  asked 
him  what  the  noise  meant.  The  guards,  after  listening 
a  few  minutes,  concluded  that  nothing  was  wrong,  and 
returned  to  their  beats.  The  hole  w^as  stopped  up  by 
inserting  into  the  crevice  a  pair  of  old  pantaloons  filled 
with  straw,  and  bolstering  the  whole  up  with  boards, 
which  they  secured  from  the  floors,  etc.,  of  the  prison. 
The  tunnel  was  then  continued  some  six  or  seven  feet 
more,  and  when  the  working  party  supposed  they  were 
about  ready  to  emerge  t(»  daylight,  others  in  the  prison 
were  informed  that  there  was  a  way  now  open  for  escape. 


288        DARING   ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN. 

One  hundred  and  nine  of  the  prisoners  decided  to  make 
the  attempt  to  get  away.  Others  refused,  fearing  the 
consequences  if  they  were  recaptured. 

At  half-past  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  9th 
the  prisoners  started  out,  Colonel  Eose,  of  New  York, 
leading  the  van.  Before  starting,  the  prisoners  had 
divided  themselves  into  squads  of  two,  three,  and  four, 
and  each  squad  was  to  take  a  different  route,  and  after 
they  were  out  were  to  push  for  the  Union  lines  as  fast 
as  possible.  It  was  the  understanding  that  the  working 
party  were  to  have  an  hour's  start  of  the  other  prison- 
ers, and,  consequently,  the  rope-ladder  in  the  cellar 
was  drawn  out.  Before  the  expiration  of  the  hour, 
however,  the  other  prisoners  became  impatient,  and 
were  let  down  through  the  chimney  successfully  into 
the  cellar. 

The  aperture  was  so  narrow  that  but  one  man  could 
get  tlirough  at  a  time,  and  each  squad  carried  with  them 
provisions  in  a  haversack.  At  midnight  a  false  alarm 
was  created,  and  the  prisoners  made  considerable  noise 
in  their  quarters.  Providentially,  however,  the  guard 
suspected  nothing  wrong,  and  in  a  few  moments  the 
exodus  was  again  commenced.  Colonel  Kendrick  aAd 
his  companions  looked  with  some  trepidation  upon  the 
movements  of  the  fugitives,  as  some  of  them,  exercising 
but  little  discretion,  moved  boldly  out  of  the  enclosure 
into  the  glare  of  the  gaslight.  Many  of  them  were, 
however,  in  citizen's  dress,  and  as  all  the  rebel  guards 
wore  the  United  States  uniform,  but  little  suspicion 
could  be  excit<"!d^  even  if  the  fugitives  had  been  accosted 
by  a  guard. 

Between  one  and  two  o'clock  the  lamps  were  extin- 


DARING   EN'iERnilSES   OF   OFFICERS   AND   MEN.        289 

guished  in  the  streets,  and  then  the  exit  was  more 
safely  accomplished.  There  were  many  officers  who 
desired  to  leave,  who  were  so  weak  and  feeble  that  they 
were  dragged  through  the  tunnel  by  mere  force,  and 
carried  to  places  of  security,  until  such  time  as  they 
would  be  able  to  move  on  their  journey.  At  half-past 
two  o'clock,  Captain  Joyce,  Colonel  Kendrick,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Bradford  passed  out  in  the  order  in  which  they 
are  named,  and  as  Colonel  Kendrick  emerged  from  the 
hole  he  heard  the  guard  within  a  few  feet  of  him  sing 
out :  "  Post  No.  7,  half-past  two  in  the  morning  ind  all 
is  well."  Lieutenant  Bradford  was  intrusted  with  the 
provisions  for  this  squad,  and  in  getting  through  was 
obliged  to  leave  his  haversack  behind  him,  as  he  could 
not  get  through  with  it  upon  him. 

Once  out  they  proceeded  up  the  street,  keeping  in  the 
shade  of  the  buildings,  and  passed  eastwardly  through 
the  city. 

A  description  of  the  route  pursued  by  this  party,  and 
of  the  tribulations  through  which  they  passed,  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  rough  time  they  all  had  of  it.  Colonel 
Kendrick  har^  'Defore  leaving  the  prison,  mapped  out 
his  course,  and  concluded  that  the  best  route  to  take 
was  the  one  toward  Norfolk  or  Fortress  Monroe,  as 
there  were  fewer  rebel  pickets  in  that  direction.  They 
therefore  kept  the  York  River  railroad  to  the  left,  and 
moved  toward  the  Chickahominy  river.  They  passed 
through  Boar  Swamp,  and  crossed  the  road  leading  to 
Bottom  Bridge.  Sometimes  they  waded  through  mud 
and  water  almost  up  to  their  necks,  and  kept  the  Bot- 
tom Bridge  roai  to  their  left,  although  at  times  the^ 
19 


290       DARING    ENTERPRISES   OF   OFFICKRS    AM)    MEN. 

could  see  and  hear  the  cars  travelling  over  the  York 
River  road. 

While  passing  through  the  swamp  near  the  Chicka- 
hominy,  Colonel  Kendrick  sprained  his  ankle  and  fell. 
Fortunate,  too,  was  that  fall  for  him  and  his  party, 
for  while  he  was  lying  there  one  of  them  chanced  to 
look  up,  and  saw  in  a  direct  line  with  them  a  swamp 
bridge,  and  in  the  dim  outline  they  could  perceive  that 
parties  with  muskets  were  passing  over  the  bridge. 
Tl>ey  therefore  moved  some  distance  to  the  south,  and 
afier  passing  through  more  of  the  swamp,  reached  the 
Chickahominy  about  four  miles  below  Bottom  Bridge, 
Here  now  was  a  difficulty.  The  river  was  only  twenty 
feet  wide,  but  it  was  very  deep,  and  the  refugees  were 
worn  out  and  fatigued.  Chancing,  however,  to  look  up, 
Lieutenant  Bradford  saw  that  two  trees  had  fallen  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  and  that  their  branches  were 
interlocked.  By  crawling  up  one  tree  and  down  the 
other,  the  fugitives  reached  the  east  bank  of  the  Chicka- 
hominy. 

They  subsequently  learned  from  a  friendly  negro  that, 
had  they  crossed  the  bridge  they  had  seen,  they  would 
assuredly  have  been  recaptured,  for  Captain  Turner,  the 
keeper  of  Libby  Prison,  had  been  out  and  posted  guards 
there,  and  in  fact  had  alarmed  the  whole  country,  and 
got  the  people  up  as  a  vigilant  committee  to  capture  the 
escaped  prisoners. 

After  crossing  over  this  natural  bridge  they  laid  down 
on  the  ground  and  slept  until  sunrise  on  the  morning  of 
the  11th,  when  they  continued  on  their  way,  keeping 
eastwardly  as  near  as  they  could.  Up  to  this  time  they 
had   had    nothing  to  eat,  and  were  almost   famished. 


DARING    ENTERPRISES    OF   OFFICERS   AND    MEN.        2l)l 

About  noon  of  the  llth  they  met  several  negroes,  who 
gave  them  information  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  rebel 
pickets,  and  furnished  them  with  food. 

Acting  under  the  advice  of  these  friendly  negroes, 
they  remained  quietly  in  the  woods  until  darkness  had 
set  in,  when  they  were  furnished  with  a  comfortable 
supper  by  the  negroes,  and  after  dark  proceeded  on  their 
way,  the  negroes  (who  everywhere  showed  their  friend- 
ship to  the  fugitives)  having  first  directed  them  how  to 
avoid  the  rebel  pickets.  That  nigtit  they  passed  a  camp 
of  rebels,  and  could  plainly  see  the  smoke  and  camp 
fires.  But  their  wearied  feet  gave  out,  and  they  were 
compelled  to  stop  and  rest,  having  only  marched  five 
miles  that  day. 

They  started  again  at  daylight  on  the  13th,  and  after 
moving  awhile  through  the  woods  they  saw  a  negro 
woman  working  in  a  field  and  called  her  to  them.  From 
her  they  received  directions  and  were  told  that  the  rebel 
pickets  had  been  about  there  looking  for  the  fugitives 
from  Libby.  Here  they  laid  down  again,  and  resumed 
their  journey  when  darkness  set  in,  and  marched  five 
miles,  but  halted  till  the  morning  of  the  14th,  when  the 
journey  was  resumed. 

At  one  point  they  met  a  negress  in  a  field,  and  she 
told  them  that  her  mistress  was  a  secesh  woman,  and 
that  she  had  a  son  in  the  rebel  army.  The  party,  however, 
were  exceedingly  hungry,  and  they  determined  to  secure 
some  food.  This  they  did  by  boldly  approaching  the 
house  and,  informing  the  mistress  that  they  were  fugi- 
tives from  Norfolk,  who  had  been  driven  out  by  Butler ; 
and  the  secesh  sympathies  of  the  woman  were  at  once 
aroused,  and  she  gave  th'^m  of  her  substance,  and  started 


292       DARING   ENTERPRISES  OF   OFFICERS   AND  MEN. 

them  on  their  way,  with  directions  how  to  avoid  the 
Yankee  soldiers,  who  occasionally  scouted  in  that  vicin- 
ity. This  inforraat*'>n  was  exceedingly  valuable  to  the 
refugees,  for  by  it  tney  discovered  the  whereabouts  of 
the  Federal  forces. 

When  about  fifteen  miles  from  Williamsburg  the  party 
came  upon  the  main  road  and  found  the  tracks  of  a 
large  body  of  cavalry.  A  piece  of  paper  found  by  Cap- 
tain Jones  satisfied  him  that  they  were  Union  cavalry ; 
but  his  companions  were  suspicious,  and  avoided  the  road 
and  moved  forward.  At  the  "Burnt  Ordinary"  (about 
ten  miles  from  Williamsburg)  they  awaited  the  return  of 
the  cavalry  that  had  moved  up  the  road,  and  from  behind 
a  fence  corner,  where  they  were  secreted,  the  fugitives 
.  saw  the  flag  of  the  Union,  supported  by  a  squadron  of  cav- 
alry, which  proved  to  be  a  detachment  of  Colonel  Spear's 
11th  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  sent  out  for  the  purpose  of 
picking  up  escaped  prioners.  Colonel  Kendrick  says 
his  feelings  at  seeing  the  old  flag  are  indescribable. 

At  all  points  along  the  route  the  fugitives  describe 
their  reception  by  the  negroes  as  most  enthusiastic,  and 
there  was  no  lack  of  white  people  who  sympathized  with 
them  and  helped  them  on  their  way. 

In  their  escape  the  officers  were  aided  by  citizens  of 
Richmond ;  not  foreigners  or  the  poor  class  only,  but  by 
natives  and  persons  of  wealth.  They  know  their  friends 
there,  but  very  properly  withhold  any  mention  of  their 
names.  Of  those  who  got  out  of  Libby  Prison  there 
were  a  number  of  si^^k  ones,  who  were  cared  for  by 
Union  people,  and  wil  eventually  reach  the  Union  lines 
through  their  aid. 


MOTHER  BICKERDYKE,"THE  SOLDIERS'  FRIEND." 

Among  the  many  noble  women  who  have  contributed 
BO  largely  to  the  comfort  of  our  sick,  wounded,  and  ex- 
hausted soldiers  in  the  Western  armies,  there  is  none 
more  deserving  the  title  of  the  "  Soldier's  Friend  "  than 
Mrs.  Bickerdyke.  She  is  of  humble  origin,  and  of  but 
moderate  education,  a  widow,  with  two  noble  and  beau- 
tiful little  boys,  somewhat  more  than  forty  years  of  age, 
we  should  judge,  with  a  robust  frame  and  great  powers 
of  endurance,  and  possesses  a  rough,  stirring  eloquence, 
and  earnestness  of  manner  which  has  proved  very  effec- 
tive in  carrying  measures  on  which  she  has  set  her 
heart. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  she  was,  we  have 
heard,  housekeeper  in  a  gentleman's  family  in  Cleveland, 
but  she  commenced  very  early  her  labors  of  love  and 
kindness  among  the  sick  and  wounded  men  of  the  army, 
and  continued  them  with  ever  increasing  success  till  tho 
close  of  the  conflict.  It  has  been  one  of  her  peculiai' 
ities  that  she  devoted  her  attention  exclusively  or  nearly 
80  to  the  private  so'diers.     The  officers,  she  said,  had 


294         ARMY   LIFE    IN    TAMP,  FIELD,  AND    EOSPITAL. 

enough  to  look  after  them ;  but  it  was  the  men,  poor 
fellows,  with  but  a  private's  pay,  a  private's  fare,  and  a 
private's  dangers,  to  whom  she  was  particularly  called. 
They  were  dear  to  somebody,  and  she  would  be  a  mother 
to  them.  And  throughout  the  war,  she  has  contended 
etoutly  and  almost  always  successfully^  for  their  rights 
and  comfort.  The  soldiers  all  over  the  Western  armies 
knew  her  and  fairly  idolized  her,  as  well  they  might. 
But  woe  to  the  surgeon  or  assistant  surgeon,  the  com- 
missary or  quartermaster,  whose  neglect  of  his  men  and 
selfish  disregard  for  their  interests  and  needs  came 
under  her  cognizance.  For  such  a  one  she  had  no 
mercy,  and  in  more  instances  than  one,  by  the  fierce 
torrent  of  her  invective,  or  the  more  effective  method  of 
appealing  to  the  commander  of  the  army,  with  whom 
ghe  always  had  great  inliuence,  she  procured  their  dis- 
missal from  the  service.  Her  will  was  strong,  and  when 
she  had  determined  to  do  a  thing  it  would  be  carried 
through,  whatever  obstacles  might  present  themselves  ; 
yet  while  officers  even  of  high  rank  stood  appalled  and 
yielded  to  her  commands,  urged  as  they  often  were  in  a 
tone  and  .manner  which  brooked  no  denial,  she  was 
gentle  and  tender  as  a  mother  to  the  common  soldiers. 
The  contrabands  regarded  her  as  almost  a  divinity,  and 
would  fly  with  unwonted  alacrity  to  obey  her  commands. 
Her  authority,  however,  great  as  it  was,  was  used  most 
beneficently;  and  with  every  day  her  influence  w^as 
greater  with  the  commanding  generals,  who  saw,  in  her, 
an  instrument  of  great  good  to  the  army.  At  Perry- 
ville  she  set  the  negro  women  to  gathering  the  blankets 
and  clothing  left  upon  that  bloody  field,  and  such  of  the 
clothing  of  the  slain  and  desperately  wounded  as  could 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         295 

be  spared,  and  having  had  it  carefully  washed  and  re- 
paired, distributed  it  to  the  wounded,  who  were  in  great 
need  of  additional  clothing.  The  arms  left  on  the  field 
were  also  picked  up  by  her  corps  of  contrabands  and 
delivered  over  to  the  Union  quartermaster.  Not  long  after 
Bhe  was  put  in  charge  of  the  Gayoso  Hospital,  in  what 
was  formerly  the  Gayoso  Hotel,  one  of  the  largest  hotels 
in  Memphis.  Here  she  was  in  all  her  glory.  It  was 
her  ambition  to  make  her  hospital  the  best  regulated, 
neatest,  and  most  comfortable  in  Memphis  or  its  vicinity, 
and  this,  in  such  a  building,  was  not  easy.  She  accom- 
plished it,  however.  It  was  usual  in  the  hospitals  there 
as  elsewhere  to  employ  convalescent  soldiers  as  nurses, 
ward  masters,  etc.,  for  the  drudgery  of  the  hospital ;  and 
as  these  were  often  weak,  and  occasionally  peevish  and 
ill-tempered  from  their  own  past  or  present  sufferings, 
it  may  be  imagined  that  they  did  not  always  make  the 
best  of  nurses.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  substituted  negro 
women  for  these  duties,  and  the  improvement  was 
ppeedily  manifest.  Herself  a  skilful  and  admirable 
cook,  she  superintended  the  preparation  of  all  the  food 
for  the  sick  or  wounded,  and  often  administered  it  in 
person.  Nothing  displeased  her  so  much  as  any  neglect 
of  the  men  on  the  part  of  the  surgeon  or  assistant 
Burgeons  On  one  occasion,  visiting  one  of  the  wards 
at  nearly  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  where  the  men  were  very 
badly  wounded,  she  found  that  the  assistant  surgeon- 
m-charge,  who  had  been  out  "  on  a  spree "  the  night 
before  and  had  slept  very  late,  had  not  yet  made  out 
the  special  diet  list  for  the  ward,  and  the  men,  faint  and 
hungry,  had  had  no  breakfa<*t.  She  at  once  dei  ounced 
him  in  the  strongest  terms. 


296  ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    UOSPITAL. 

He  came  in  meanwhile,  and  on  his  inquiry,  "  Hoiiy 
toity,  what's  the  matter?"  she  turned  upon  him  with, 
"  Matter  enough,  you  miserable  scoundrel !  Here  these 
men,  any  one  of  them  worth  a  thousand  of  you,  are 
suffered  to  starve  and  die,  because  you  want  to  be  off 
upon  a  drunk !  Pull  off  your  shoulder-straps,"  she 
continued,  as  he  tried  feebly  to  laugh  off  her  reproaches, 
"pull  off  your  shoulder-straps,  for  you  shall  not  stay  in 
the  army  a  week  longer."  The  surgeon  still  laughed, 
but  he  turned  pale,  for  he  knew  her  power.  She  was  as 
good  as  her  word.  Within  three  days,  she  had  caused 
his  discharge.  He  went  to  headquarters,  and  asked  to 
be  reinstated.  General  Sherman,  who  was  then  in 
command,  listened  patiently,  and  then  inquired  who 
had  caused  his  discharge.  "  I  was  discharged  in  conse- 
quence of  misrepresentations,"  answered  the  surgeon, 
evasively.  ''  But  who  caused  your  discharge  ?"  persisted 
the  general.  "  Why,"  said  the  surgeon,  hesitatingly, 
"  I  suppose  it  was  that  woman,  that  Mrs.  Bickerdyke." 
*'  Oh,"  said  Sherman.  "  Well,  if  it  was  her,  I  can  do 
nothing  for  you.     She  ranks  me." 

Some  months  later,  the  chief  surgeon  of  the  hospital, 
a  martinet  in  discipline,  was  dissatisfied  at  Mrs.  Bicker- 
dyke's  innovations,  though  he  acknowledged  the  admira/- 
ble  order  and  neatness  of  the  hospital ;  he  knew  that 
she  valued  highly  her  well  trained  corps  of  negro  women 
employed  as  nurses,  etc.,  in  the  hospital,  and  he,  there- 
fore, procured  from  the  medical  director  an  order  that 
none  but  convalescent  soldiers  should  be  employed  as 
nurses  in  the  Memphis  hospitals.  The  order  was  to  take 
effect  at  nine  o'clock  the  following  morning.  Mrs.  Bick- 
erdyke heard  of  it  just  at  night.     The  Gayoso  Hospital 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSriTAL.  297 

was  three  fourths  of  a  mile  from  headquarters;  it  vma 
raining  heavily,  and  the  mud  was  deep;  but  nothing 
daunted,  she  sallied  out,  having  first  had  the  form  of  an 
order  drawn  up  permitting  the  employment  of  contra- 
bands as  nurses  at  the  Gaj-oso  Hospital.  Arrived  at  the 
headquarters,  she  was  told  that  the  commanding  general, 
Sherman's  successor,  was  ill,  and  could  not  be  seen.  She 
understood  very  well  that  his  illness  was  only  intoxicar 
tion,  and  insisted  that  she  must  and  would  see  him,  and, 
in  spite  of  the  objections  of  the  staff  officers,  she  forced 
her  way  to  his  room,  and,  finding  him  in  bed,  roused 
him  partially,  propped  him  up,  put  a  pen  in  his  hand, 
and  made  him  sign  the  order  she  had  brought.  This 
done,  she  returned  to  her  hospital,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing, when  the  surgeon  and  the  medical  director  came 
round  to  enforce  the  order  of  the  latter,  she  flourished  in 
their  faces  the  order  of  the  commanding  general,  pei- 
xnitting  her  to  retain  her  contrabands. 

While  in  charge  of  this  hospital,  she  made  several 
journeys  to  Chicago,  and  other  cities  of  the  northwest, 
to  procure  aid  for  the  suffering  soldiers.  The  first  of 
these  was  characteristic  of  her  energy  and  resolution. 
She  had  found  great  difficulty  in  procuring,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Memphis,  the  milk  and  butter  needed  for  her  hospital, 
and  the  other  hospitals  had  also  been  but  scantily  sup- 
plied. She  resolved  to  have  a  dairy  for  the  hospitals, 
and  going  among  the  farmers  of  central  Illinois  she 
begged  two  hundred  cows,  and  as  eggs  were  required  in 
large  quantities  she  obtained  also,  by  her  solicitations,  a 
thousand  hens,  and  returned  in  triumph  with  her  drove 
of  cows  and  her  flock  of  hens.  On  reaching  Memphis 
her  cattle  and  fowls  made  such  a  lowing  and  cackling 


298  ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

that  the  rebel  sympathizing  inliabitants  of  the  city 
entered  their  complamts,  and  the  commanding  general 
assigned  her  an  island  in  the  Mississippi  opposite  the 
city,  where  her  dairy  and  hennery  were  comfortably 
accommodated. 

We  are  not  certain  whether  it  was  on  this  journey  or 
the  next  that,  at  the  request  of  Mrs.  Hage  and  Mrs. 
Lovemore,  of  the  Northwestern  Sanitary  Commission, 
Bhe  visited  Milwaukee.  The  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  that 
city  had  memorialized  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the 
city  to  make  an  appropriation  to  aid  them  in  their 
efforts  for  helping  the  soldiers,  and  were  that  day  to 
receive  the  reply  of  the  Chamber.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke 
went  with  the  ladies,  and  the  President  of  the  Chamber, 
in  his  blandest  tones,  informed  them  that  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce  had  considered  their  request,  but  that  they 
had  expended  so  much  in  the  fitting  out  of  a  regiment, 
that  they  thought  they  must  be  excused  from  making 
any  contributions  to  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society.  Mrs. 
Bickerdyke  asked  the  privilege  of  replying.  For  half 
an  hour  she  held  them  enchained,  while  she  described, 
in  simple  but  eloquent  language,  the  life  of  the  soldier, 
his  privations  and  sufierings,  the  patriotism  Avhicli  ani- 
mated him,  and  led  him  to  endure,  without  murmuring, 
hardships,  sickness,  wounds,  and  even  death  itself,  for 
his  country.  She  contrasted  this  with  the  sordid  love 
of  gain  which  not  only  shrunk  from  these  sacrifices  in 
person,  but  grudged  the  pittance  necessary  to  alleviate 
them,  and  made  the  trifling  amount  which  it  had  already 
contributed  an  excuse  for  making  no  further  contribu- 
tions, and  clased  with  this  forcible  denunciation:  "And 
you,  merchants  and  rich  men  of  Milwaukee,  Jiving  at 


AKMT    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  299 

your  ease,  dressed  in  your  broadcloth,  knowing  little  and 
caring  less  for  the  sufferings  of  the  soldiers,  from  hunger 
and  thirst,  from  cold  and  nakedness,  from  sickness  and 
wounds,  from  pain  and  death,  all  incurred  that  you  may 
roll  in  wealth,  and  your  homes  and  your  little  ones  be 
safe.  You  will  refuse  to  give  aid  to  these  poor  soldiers, 
because,  forsooth,  you  gave  a  few  dollars  some  time  ago 
to  fit  out  a  regiment.  Shame  on  you — you  are  not 
men — ^^^ou  are  cowards — go  over  to  Canada — this  country 
has  no  place  for  such  creatures  !"  The  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce was  not  prepared  for  such  a  rebuke,  and  they  re- 
considered their  action,  and  made  an  appropriation  at 
once  to  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society. 

When  Rosecrans  moved  forward  from  Murfreesboro 
in  June,  1863,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke,  tired  of  the  confine- 
ment of  the  hospital,  joined  the  army  in  the  field  again, 
and  amid  all  the  hardships  and  exposures  of  the  field, 
ministered  to  the  sick  and  wounded.  Cooking  for  them 
in  the  open  air,  under  the  burning  sun  and  the  heavy 
dews,  she  was  exposed  to  disease,  but  her  admirable 
constitution  enabled  her  to  endure  fatigue  and  exposure, 
better  even  than  most  of  the  soldiers.  Though  neat  and 
cleanly  in  person,  she  was  wholly  indifferent  to  the 
attractions  of  dress,  and  amid  the  flying  sparks  from  her 
fires  in  the  open  air,  her  calico  dresses  would  often  take 
fire,  and  as  she  expressed  it,  ''  the  soldiers  would  put 
her  out ;"  i.  e.,  extinguish  the  sparks  which  were  burn- 
ing her  dresses,  till  they  became  completely  riddled. 

It  was  with  her  clothing  in  this  plight  that  she  again 
visited  Chicago,  in  the  summer  of  1863,  and  the  ladiea 
of  the  Sanitary  Commission  replenished  her  wardrobe, 
an^  soon  after  sent  her  a  box  of  excellent  clothing  for 


iJOO         ARiTY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

her  own  use.  Of  this,  some  articles,  the  gift  of  those 
who  admired  her  earnest  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the 
Boldier,  were  richly  wrought  and  trimmed.  Among 
them  were  two  heautiful  night-dresses,  trimmed  with 
ruffles  and  lac  3.  On  receiving  the  box,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke, 
who  was  again  for  the  time  in  charge  of  a  hospital,  re- 
serving for  herself  only  three  or  four  of  the  plainest  and 
cheapest  articles,  traded  off  the  remainder,  except  the 
two  nightrdresses,  with  the  rebel  women  of  the  vicinity , 
for  butter,  eggs,  and  other  delicacies  for  her  sick  soldiers; 
and  as  she  purposed  going  to  Cairo  soon,  and  thought 
that  the  night-dresses  would  bring  more  for  the  same 
purpose  in  Kentucky,  she  reserved  them  to  be  traded  on 
her  journey.  On  her  way,  however,  at  one  of  the  towns 
on  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad  (Jackson,  we  believe), 
she  found  two  poor  fellows  who  had  been  discharged 
from  some  of  our  hospitals  with  their  wounds  not  yet 
fully  healed,  and  their  exertions  had  caused  them  to 
break  out  afresh.  Here  they  were,  then,  in  a  miserable 
shanty,  sick,  bleeding,  hungry,  penniless,  and  with  only 
their  soiled  clothing.  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  at  once  took 
them  in  hand.  Washing  their  wounds  and  stanching 
the  blood,  she  tore  off  the  lower  portions  of  the  night- 
dresses for  bandages,  and  as  the  men  had  no  shirts,  she 
arrayed  them  in  the  remainder  of  these  dresses,  ruffles, 
lace,  and  all.  The  soldiers  modestly  demurred  a  little 
at  the  ruffles  and  lace,  but  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  suggested 
to  them  that  if  any  inquiries  were  made,  they  could  say 
that  they  had  been  plundering  the  secessionists. 

Visitmg  Chicago  at  this  time,  she  was  again  invited 
to  go  to  Milwaukee,  and  went  with  the  ladies  to  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce.     Here  she  was  very  pohtely  re* 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  30J 

ceived,  and  the  President  informed  her  that  the  Chamber, 
feeUng  deeply  impressed  with  the  good  work  she  and  the 
other  hidies  were  doing  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers,  had 
voted  a  contribution  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  a  month 
to  the  '*  Ladies'  Aid  Society."    Mrs.  Bickerdyke  was  not, 
however,  disposed  to  tender  them  the  congratulations  to 
which  perhaps  they  believed    themselves  entitled  for 
their  liberality.  ''  You  believe  yourselves  very  generous, 
no  doubt,  gentlemen,"  she  said,  "  and  think  that  because 
you  have  given  this  pretty  sum,  you  are  doing  all  that 
is  required  of  you.     But  I  have  in  my  hospital  a  hun- 
dred poor  soldiers,  who  have  done  more  than  any  of 
you.     Who  of  you  would  contribute  a  leg,  an  arm,  or 
an  eye,  instead  of  what  you  have  done  ?     How  many 
hundred  or  thousand  dollars  would  you   consider  an 
equivalent  for  either  ?     Don't  deceive  yourselves,  gentle- 
men.    The  poor  soldier  who  has  given  an  arm,  a  leg,  or 
an  eye  to  his  country  (and  many  of  them   have  given 
more  than  one),  has  given  more  than  you  have,  or  can. 
How  much  more,  then,  he  who  has  given  his  life  ?     No ! 
gentlemen,  you  must  set  your  standard  higher  yet,  or 
you  will  not  come  up  to  the  full  measure  of  liberality  in 
giving." 

Mrs.  Bickerdyke  was  on  the  field  in  the  battles  of 
November,  18G3,  around  Chattanooga,  and  in  the  hospitals 
of  Chattanooga  during  the  winter.  In  May,  1864,  she 
and  Mrs.  Porter,  of  Chicago,  both  in  the  service  of 
the  Northwestern  Sanitary  Commission,  followed  Sher 
man's  Anny  in  the  march  to  Atlanta:  being  present 
at  every  battle,  and  ministering  to  the  wounded  and 
the  exhausted  soldiers.  Her  great  executive  ability 
had  fair  play  here,  and  with  few  or  none  of  the  ordinary 


302         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   UOSPITAL. 

apparatus  for  cooking,  or  preparing  needed  dishes  fot 
the  sick,  she  would  manage  to  make  barrels  of  delicious 
coffee,  manufacture  panada  and  gruel  out  of  hard  tack, 
and  other  food  for  th'^  sick  from  the  most  unpromising 
materials. 

It  is  said  that  soon  ifter  General  Grant  took  com- 
mand at  Chattanooga,  in  the  autumn  of  1863,  she 
visited  his  headquarters,  and  in  her  rough,  blunt  way, 
paid  to  him,  "  Now,  General,  don't  be  a  fool.  You  want 
your  men  to  do  a  great  deal  of  hard  fighting,  but  the 
Burgeons  here,  in  the  hospitals,  are  neglecting  them 
shamefully,  and  you  will  lose  hundreds  of  men  who 
would  do  you  good  service  unless  you  see  to  it  yourself. 
Disguise  yourself  so  that  the  surgeons  or  men  won't 
know  you,  and  go  around  to  the  hospitals  and  see  for 
yourself  how  the  men  are  neglected." 

"•  But,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke,"  said  the  general,  '^  that  is 
the  business  of  my  medical  director,  he  must  attend  to 
that.     I  can't  see  to  every  thing  in  person." 

"  Well,"  was  her  reply,  "  leave  it  to  him  if  you  think 
best ;  but  if  you  do,  you  will  lose  your  men." 

The  general  made  no  promises,  but  a  night  or  two 
later  the  hospitals  were  visited  by  a  stranger,  who  made 
very  particular  inquiries,  and  within  a  week  nearly 
half  a  dozen  surgeons  were  dismissed,  and  more  efficient 
men  put  in  their  places. 

After  the  capture  of  Atlanta,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  re- 
turned northward,  stopping  for  a  time,  we  believe,  at 
Nashville.  In  January,  1865,  she  went  to  Savannah  to 
superintend  one  of  the  hospitals  there. 

Generous  to  a  fault,  Mrs.  Bickerdyke  has  never  been 
influenced,  even  in  the  slightest  degree,  by  mercenary 


AR\[Y   LIFE    IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL-  303 

motives.  Much  of  her  service  lias  been  rendered  wi  thout 
fee  or  reward,  and  when  the  necessity  of  providing 
for  the  care  and  education  of  her  boys  has  compelled 
her  to  receive  compensation,  it  has  been  only  in  such 
amount  as  would  suffice  for  that  purpose.  Yet  her 
eminent  services,  many  of  them  such  as  none  but  her- 
self could  have  rendered,  richly  deserve  a  noble  testi- 
pionial 


The  Romance  of  "War. — The  following  order  is  said 
to  have  originated  at  the  headquarters  of  that  correct 
disciplinarian,  Major-Genera^l  Rosecrans  : — 

"Headquarters  Department  op  the  Cumberland,  April  17,  1863 

"  General: — The  general  commanding  directs  me  to 
call  your  attention  to  a  flagrant  outrage  committed  in 
your  command — a  person  having  been  admitted  hiside 
your  lines  without  a  pass  and  in  violation  of  orders. 
The  case  is  one  which  calls  for  your  personal  attention, 
and  the  general  commanding  directs  that  you  deal  with 
the  offending  party  or  parties  according  to  law. 

''  The  medical  director  reports  that  an  orderly  sergeant 

in  Brigadier-General 's  division  was  to-day  delivered 

of  a  hahy — which  is  in  violation  of  all  military  law  and 
of  the  army  regulations.  No  such  case  has  been  known 
since  the  days  of  Jupiter. 

"  You  will  apply  the  proper  punishment  in  this  casa 
and  a  remedy  to  present  a  repetition  of  the  act." 


30-i         ARMY   LIFE   IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   nOSPITAL. 

THE   DEATH   OF  JOHN, 

THE     WEST     VIRGINIA     BLACKSMITH. 

Miss  L.  M.  Alcott,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  A. 
B.  Alcott,  the  Concord  philosopher,  and  the  bosom 
friend  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  was  for  a  time  a  nurse 
in  one  of  the  hospitals  for  the  wounded  in  the  vicinity 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  She  subsequently  published  a 
little  volume,  entitled  *'  Hospital  Sketches,"  in  which 
the  life,  heroism,  and  death  of  some  of  our  brave  fellows, 
wounded  in  the  struggle  for  the  nation's  life,  are  por- 
trayed with  a  graphic  power  which  has  never  been  sur- 
passed. Among  these  descriptions  of  hfe  and  death  in 
the  hospital,  none  surpasses,  in  beauty  and  pathos,  the 
story  of  John,  the  West  Virginia  Blacksmith.  Miss 
Alcott  is  in  one  of  the  wards  of  the  hospital,  ministering 
to  the  sick,  when  a  messenger  from  another  ward  comes 
m  with  the  expected  yet  dreaded  message  : 

"John  is  going,  ma'am,  and  wants  to  see  you  if  you 
can  come." 

"  The  moment  this  boy  is  asleep ;  tell  him  so,  and  let 
me  know  if  I  am  in  danger  of  being  too  late." 

The  messenger  departed,  and  while  I  quieted  poor 
Shaw,  I  thought  of  John.  He  came  in  a  day  or  two 
after  the  others;  and  one  evening,  when  I  entered  my 
"pathetic  room,"  I  found  a  lately  emptied  bed  occupied 
by  a  large,  fair  man,  with  a  fine  face,  and  the  serenest 
eyes  I  ever  met.  One  of  the  earlier  comers  had  often 
spoken  of  a  friend  who  had  remained  behind  that  those 
apparently  worse  wounded  than  himself  might  reach  a 


AKMY    LIFE    IX    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         305 

dnelter  first.  It  seemed  a  David  and  Jonathan  sort  of 
friendship.  The  man  fretted  for  his  mate,  and  was 
never  tired  of  praising  John — his  courage,  sobriety,  self- 
denial,  and  unfailing  kindliness  of  heart ;  always  wind- 
big  up  with  :  "He's  an  out  an'  out  fine  feller,  ma'am; 
you  see  if  he  aint." 

I  had  some  curiosity  to  behold  this  piece  of  excel- 
lence, and  when  he  came,  watched  him  for  a  night  or 
two,  before  I  made  friends  with  him ;  for,  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  was  a  little  afraid  of  the  stately  looking  man, 
whose  bed  had  to  be  lengthened  to  accommodate  his 
commanding  stature;  who  seldom  spoke,  uttered  no 
complaint,  asked  no  sympathy,  but  tranquilly  observed 
what  went  on  about  him;  and,  as  he  lay  high  upon  his 
pillows,  no  picture  of  dying  statesman  or  w^arrior  was 
ever  fuller  of  real  dignity  than  this  Virginia  blacksmith. 
A  most  attractive  face  he  had,  framed  in  brown  haii 
and  beard,  comely  featured  and  full  of  vigor,  as  yet  ui> 
subdued  by  pain;  thoughtful  and  often  beautifully  mild 
while  watching  the  afflictions  of  others,  as  if  entirely 
forgetful  of  his  own.  His  mouth  was  grave  and  firm, 
with  plenty  of  will  and  courage  in  its  lines,  but  a  smile 
could  make  it  as  sweet  as  any  woman's ;  and  his  eyes 
were  child's  eyes,  looking  one  fairly  in  the  face  with  a 
clear,  straightforward  glance,  which  promised  well  for 
such  as  placed  their  faith  in  him.  He  seemed  to  chug 
to  life  as  if  it  were  rich  in  duties  and  delights,  and  he 
had  learned  the  secret  of  content.  The  only  time  I 
saw  his  composure  disturbed,  was  w^hen  my  surgeon 
brought  another  to  examine  John,  who  scrutinized  their 
faces  with  an  anxious  look,  asking  of  the  elder :  "  Do 
you  think  I  shall  pull  througly,  sir  ?"     "  I  hope  so,  my 

20 


i06         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   UOSFITAL. 

man."  And,  as  the  two  passed  on,  John's  eye  still  fol 
lowed  them,  with  an  intentness  which  would  have  won 
a  clearer  answer  from  them,  had  they  seen  it.  A  mo- 
mentary shadow  flitted  over  his  face:  then  came  the 
usual  serenity,  as  if,  in  that  brief  eclipse,  he  had  ac- 
knowledged the  existence  of  some  hard  possibility,  and, 
asking  nothing  yet  hoping  all  things,  left  the  issue  in 
God's  hands,  with  that  submission  which  is  true  piety. 

The  next  night,  as  I  went  my  rounds  with  Dr.  P., 
I  happened  to  ask  which  man  in  the  room  probably 
suifered  most ;  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  he  glanced  at 
John : 

"  Every  breath  he  draws  is  like  a  stab ;  for  the  ball 
pierced  the  left  lung,  broke  a  rib,  and  did  no  end  of 
damage  here  and  there;  so  the  poor  lad  can  find 
neither  forgetfulness  nor  ease,  because  he  must  lie  on 
his  wounded  back  or  suffocate.  It  will  be  a  hard 
struggle,  and  a  long  one,  for  he  possesses  great  vitality ; 
but  even  his  temperate  life  can't  save  him ;  I  wish  it 
jould." 

*'  You  don't  mean  he  must  die,  doctor  ?" 

^*  Bless  you,  there's  not  the  slightest  hope  for  him ; 
and  you'd  better  tell  him  so  before  long ;  women  have  a 
way  of  doing  such  things  comfortably,  so  I  leave  it 
to  you.  He  wont  last  more  than  a  day  or  two,  at 
furthest." 

I  could  havQ  sat  down  on  the  spot  and  cried  heartily, 
if  I  had  not  learned  the  wisdom  of  bottling  up  one's 
tears  for  leisure  moments.  Such  an  end  seemed  very 
hard  for  such  a  man,  when  half  a  dozen  worn-out, 
worthless  bodies  round  him,  were  gathering  up  the  rem- 
nants of  wasted  lives,  to  linger  on  for  years,  perhaps,  bur 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         o07 

dens  to  others,  daily  reproaches  to  themselves.  The 
army  needed  men  like  John,  earnest,  brave,  and  faith- 
ful ;  fifijhting  for  liberty  and  justice  with  both  heart  and 
hand,  true  soldiers  of  the  Lord.  I  could  not  give  him 
up  so  soon,  or  think  with  any  patience  of  so  excellent  a 
nature  robbed  of  its  fulfilment,  and  blundered  into  eter- 
nity by  the  rashness  or  stupidity  of  those  at  whose 
hands  so  many  lives  may  be  required.  It  was  an  easy 
thing  for  Dr.  P.  to  say  :  "  Tell  him  he  must  die,"  but  a 
cruell}''  hard  thing  to  do,  and  by  no  means  as  "comforta- 
ble" as  he  politely  suggested.  I  had  not  the  heart  to  do  it 
then,  and  privately  indulged  the  hope  that  some  change 
for  the  better  might  take  place,  in  spite  of  gloomy 
prophecies,  so  rendering  my  task  unnecessary.  A  few 
minutes  later,  as  I  came  in  again,  with  fresh  rollers,  1 
saw  John  sitting  erect,  with  no  one  to  support  him, 
while  the  surgeon  dressed  his  back.  I  had  never 
hitherto  seen  it  done;  for,  having  simpler  wounds  to 
attend  to,  and  knowing  the  fidelity  of  the  attendant, 
I  had  left  John  to  him,  thinking  it  might  be  more 
agreeable  and  safe;  for  both  strength  and  experience 
were  needed  in  his  case.  I  had  forgotten  that  the  strong 
man  might  long  for  the  gentler  tendance  of  a  woman's 
hands,  the  sympathetic  magnetism  of  a  woman's  pres- 
ence, as  well  as  the  feebler  souls  about  him.  The  doc- 
tor's words  caused  me  to  reproach  myself  with  neglect, 
not  of  any  real  duty,  perhaps,  but  of  those  little  cares 
and  kindnesses  that  solace  homesick  spirits,  and  make 
the  heavy  hours  pass  easier.  John  looked  lonely  and 
forsaken  just  then,  as  he  sat  with  bent  head,  hands 
folded  on  his  knee,  and  no  outward  sign  of  suffering, 
till,  looking  nearer,  I  saw  great  tears  roll  do^vn  and  drop 


308         ARMY    UFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

upon  the  floor.  It  was  a  new  sight  there ;  for,  though  1 
had  seen  many  suffer,  some  swore,  some  groaned,  most 
endured  silently,  but  none  wept.  Yet  it  did  not  seem 
weak,  only  very  touching,  and  straightway  my  fear 
vanished,  my  heart  opened  wide  and  took  him  in,  as 
gathering  the  bent  head  in  my  arms,  as  freely  as  if  he 
had  been  a  little  child,  I  said,  "  Let  me  help  you  bear 
it,  John." 

Never,  on  any  human  countenance,  have  I  seen  so 
swift  and  beautiful  a  look  of  gratitude,  surprise,  and 
comfort,  as  that  which  answered  me  more  eloquently 
than  the  whispered — 

"  Thank  you,  ma'am ;  this  is  right  good !  this  is  what 
I  wanted !" 

"Then  why  not  ask  for  it  before?" 

"  I  didn't  like  to  be  a  trouble ;  you  seemed  so  busy, 
and  I  could  manage  to  get  on  alone." 

"  You  shall  not  want  it  any  more,  John." 

Nor  did  he  j  for  now  I  understood  the  wistful  look 
that  sometimes  followed  me,  as  I  went  out,  after  a  brief 
pause  beside  his  bed,  or  merely  a  passing  nod^  while 
busied  with  those  who  seemed  to  need  me  more  than  he, 
because  more  urgent  in  their  demands ;  now  I  knew  that 
to  him,  as  to  so  many,  I  was  the  poor  substitute  for 
mother,  wife,  or  sister,  and  in  his  eyes  no  stranger,  but 
a  friend  who  hitherto  had  seemed  neglectful;  for,  in  his 
modesty  he  had  never  guessed  the  truth.  This  was 
changed  now ;  and,  through  the  tedious  operation  of 
probing,  bathing,  and  dressing  his  wounds,  he  leaned 
against  me,  holding  my  hand  fast,  and,  if  pain  wrung 
further  tears  from  him,  no  one  saw  them  fall  but  me. 
When  he  was  laid  down  again,  I  hovered  about  him,  m 


ARMY   LirE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  309 

a  remorseful  state  of  mind  that  would  not  let  me  rest, 
till  I  had  bathed  his  face,  brushed  his  "  bonny  brown 
hair,"  set  all  things  sm  )oth  about  him,  and  laid  a  knot 
of  heath  and  heliotrope  on  his  clean  pillow.  While 
doing  this,  he  watched  me  with  the  satisfied  expression 
I  so  liked  to  see ;  and  when  I  offered  the  little  nosegay 
held  it  carefully  in  his  great  hand,  smoothed  a  ruffled 
leaf  or  two,  surveyed  and  smelt  it  with  an  air  of  genuine 
delight,  and  lay  contentedly  regarding  the  glimmer  of 
the  sunshine  on  the  green.  Although  the  manliest  man 
among  my  forty,  he  said,  ''  Yes,  ma'am,"  like  a  little 
boy ;  received  suggestions  for  his  comfort  with  the  quick 
smile  that  brightened  his  whole  face ;  and  now  and 
then,  as  I  stood  tidying  the  table  by  his  bed,  I  felt  him 
softly  touch  my  gown,  as  if  to  assure  himself  that  I  was 
there.  Any  thing  more  natural  and  frank  I  never  saw, 
and  found  this  brave  John  as  bashful  as  brave,  yet 
full  of  excellencies  and  fine  aspirations,  which,  having 
no  power  to  express  themselves  in  words,  seemed  to 
have  bloomed  into  his  character  and  made  him  what 
he  was. 

After  that  night,  an  hour  of  each  evening  that  re- 
mained to  him  was  devoted  to  his  ease  or  pleasure. 
He  could  not  talk  much,  for  breath  was  precious,  and 
he  spoke  in  whispers ;  but  from  occasional  conversa- 
tions, I  gleaned  scraps  of  private  history  which  only 
added  to  the  affection  and  respect  I  felt  for  him.  Once 
he  asked  me  to  write  a  letter,  and  as  I  settled  pen  and 
paper,  I  said,  with  an  irrepressible  glimmer  of  feminine 
curiosity,  "Shall  it  be  addressed  to  wife  or  mother, 
John?" 

"  Neither,  ma'am ;  I've  got  no  wife,  and  will  write  to 


810         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AlO)   HOSPITAL. 

motlier  myself  when  I  get  better.  Did  you  think  I  was 
married  because  of  this  ?"  he  asked,  touching  a  plain  ring 
he  wore,  and  often  turned  thoughtfully  on  hi*  finger 
when  he  lay  alone. 

""  Partly  that,  but  more  from  a  settled  sort  of  look  you 
have,  a  look  which  young  men  seldom  get  until  they 
marry." 

"  I  don't  know  that ;  but  I'm  not  so  very  young, 
raa'am,  thirty  in  May,  and  have  been  what  you  might 
call  settled  this  ten  years';  for  mother's  a  widow,  I'm  the 
oldest  child  she  has,  and  it  wouldn't  do  for  me  to  marry 
until  Lizzy  has  a  home  of  her  own,  and  Laurie's  learned 
his  trade ;  for  we're  not  rich,  and  I  must  be  father  to 
the  children  and  husband  to  the  dear  old  woman,  if  I 
can." 

"  No  doubt  but  you  are  both,  John ;  yet  how  came  you 
to  go  to  war,  if  you  felt  so  ?  Wasn't  enlisting  as  bad  as 
marrying  ?'* 

'^  No,  ma'am,  not  as  I  see  it,  for  one  is  helping  my 
neighbor,  the  other  pleasing  myself  I  went  because  I 
couldn't  help  it.  I  didn't  want  the  glory  or  the  pay ;  1 
wanted  the  right  thing  done,  and  people  kept  saying  the 
men  who  were  in  earnest  ought  to  fight.  I  was  in  earnest, 
the  Lord  knows !  but  I  held  oflf  as  long  as  I  could,  not 
knowing  which  was  my  duty ;  mother  saw  the  case, 
gave  me  her  ring  to  keep  me  steady,  and  said  '  Go :'  so 
I  went." 

A  short  story  and  a  simple  one,  but  the  man  and  the 
mother  were  portrayed  better  than  pages  of  fine  writing 
could  have  done  it. 

"  Do  you  ever  regret  that  you  came,  wh^n  you  li« 
here  sufferino;  so  much  ?" 


ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  311 

"  Never,  ma'am ;  I  haven't  helped  a  great  deal,  but 
Fve  shown  I  was  willing  to  give  my  life,  and  perhaps 
I've  got  to ;  but  I  don't  blame  anybody,  and  if  it  was  to 
do  over  again,  I'd  do  it.  I'm  a  little  sorry  I  wasn't 
wounded  in  front;  it  looks  cowardly  to  be  hit  in  the 
back,  but  I  obey  id  orders,  and  it  don't  matter  in  the  end, 
I  know." 

Poor  John  !  it  did  not  matter  now,  except  that  a  shot 
in  front  might  have  spared  the  long  agony  in  store  for 
him.  He  seemed  to  read  the  thoughts  that  troubled  me, 
as  he  spoke  so  hopefully  when  there  was  no  hope,  for  he 
suddenly  added : 

"  This  is  my  first  battle ;  do  they  think  it's  going  to 
be  my  last?" 

"  I'm  afraid  they  do,  John." 

It  was  the  hardest  question  I  had  ever  been  called 
upon  to  answer ;  doubly  hard  with  those  clear  eyes  fixed 
on  mine,  forcing  a  truthful  answer  by  their  own  truth. 
He  seemed  a  little  startled  at  first,  pondered  over  the 
fateful  fact  a  moment,  then  shook  his  head,  with  a 
glance  at  the  broad  chest  and  muscular  limbs  stretched 
out  before  him : 

"  I'm  not  afraid,  but  it's  difficult  to  believe  all  at  once. 
I  am  so  strong  it  don't  seem  possible  for  such  a  little 
wound  to  kill  me." 

Merry  Mercutio's  dying  words  glanced  through  my 
memory  as  he  spoke  :  "  'Tis  not  so  deep  as  a  well,  nor 
eo  wide  as  a  church  door,  but  'tis  enough."  And  John 
would  have  said  the  same  could  he  have  seen  the  omi 
nous  black  holes  between  his  shoulders :  he  never  had  ; 
and,  seeing  the' ghastly  sights  about  him,  could  not  be 


512         ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

lieve  his  own  wound  more  fatal  than  these,  for  all  the 
Buffering  it  caused  him. 

'*  Shall  I  write  to  your  mother,  now  ?"  I  asked,  think- 
ing that  these  sudden  tidings  might  change  all  plans 
and  purposes  ;  but  they  did  not ;  for  the  man  received 
the  order  of  the  Divine  Commander  to  march  with  the 
Bame  unquestioning  obedience  with  which  the  soldier 
had  received  that  of  the  human  one,  doubtless  remember- 
ing that  the  first  led  him  to  life  and  the  last  to  death. 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  to  Laurie  just  the  same  ;  he'll  break  it 
to  her  best,  and  I'll  add  a  line  to  her  myself  when  you 
get  done." 

So  I  wrote  the  letter  which  he  dictated,  finding  it 
better  than  any  I  had  sent ;  for,  though  here  and  there 
a  little  ungrammatical  or  inelegant,  each  sentence  came 
to  me  briefly  worded,  but  most  expressive ;  full  of  ex- 
cellent counsel  to  the  boy,  tenderly  bequeathing  "  mother 
and  Lizzie"  to  his  care,  and  bidding  him  good-by  in 
words  the  sadder  for  their  simplicity.  He  added  a  few 
lines,  with  steady  hand,  and,  as  I  sealed  it,  said,  with  a 
patient  sort  of  sigh,  *'  I  hope  the  answer  will  come  in 
time  for  me  to  see  it;"  then,  turning  away  his  face,  laid 
the  flowers  against  his  lips,  as  if  to  hide  some  quiver  of 
emotion  at  the  thought  of  such  a  sudden  sundering  of 
all  the  dear  home  ties. 

These  things  had  happened  two  days  before;  now 
John  was  dying,  and  the  letter  had  not  come.  I  had 
been  summoned  to  many  death-beds  in  my  life,  but  to 
none  that  made  my  heart  ache  as  it  did  then,  simce  my 
mother  called  me  to  watch  the  departure  of  a  spirit  akin 
to  this  in  its  gentleness  and  patient  strength.  As  I 
went  in,  J(  hn  stretched  out  both  hands : 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         313 

"  I    knew  you'd    come !     I   guess    I'm    moving    on, 
ma'am." 

He  was ;  and  so  rapidl}'^  that,  even  while  he  spoke, 
over  his  face  I  saw  the  C!;rav  vail  flxUinfi;  that  no  human 
hand  can  lift.  I  sat  down  by  him,  wiped  the  drops 
from  his  forehead,  stirred  the  air  about  him  with  the 
slow  wave  of  a  fan,  and  waited  to  help  him  die.  He 
stood  in  sore  need  of  help — and  I  could  do  so  little ;  for, 
as  the  doctor  had  foretold,  the  strong  body  rebelled 
against  death,  and  fought  every  inch  of  the  way,  forcing 
him  to  draw  each  breath  with  a  spasm,  and  clench  his 
hands  with  an  imploring  look,  as  if  he  asked,  "  How 
long  must  I  endure  this  and  be  still !"  For  hours  he 
suffered  dumbly,  without  a  moment's  respite,  or  a  mo- 
ment's murmuring ;  his  limbs  grew  cold,  his  face  damp, 
his  lips  white,  and  again  and  again  he  tore  the  cover- 
ing off  his  breast,  as  if  the  lightest  weight  added  to  his 
agony  ;  yet  through  it  all  his  eyes  never  lost  their  per- 
fect serenity,  and  the  man's  soul  seemed  to  sit  therein, 
undaunted  by  the  ills  that  vexed  his  flesh. 

One  by  one  the  men  woke,  and  round  the  room 
appeared  a  circle  of  pale  faces  and  watchful  eyes,  full  of 
awe  and  pity ;  for,  though  a  stranger,  John  was  beloved 
by  all.  Each  man  there  had  wondered  at  his  patience, 
respected  his  piety,  admired  his  fortitude,  and  now 
lamented  his  hard  death  ;  for  the  influence  of  an  upright 
nature  had  made  itself  deeply  felt,  even  in  one  little 
week.  Presently,  the  Jonathan  who  so  loved  this 
comely  David  came  creeping  from  his  bed  for  a  last 
look  and  word.  The  kind  soul  was  full  of  trouble,  as 
the  choke  in  hi«^  voice,  the  grasp  of  his  hand,  betrayed ; 


314         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

but  there  were  no  tears,  and  the  farewell  of  the  friendi 
was  the  more  touching  for  its  brevity. 

"  Old  boy,  how  are  you  ?"  faltered  the  one 

"  Most  through,  thank  heaven  !"  whispered  the  other. 

"  Can  I  say  or  do  any  thing  for  you  anywheres  ?" 

"  Take  my  things  home,  and  tell  them  that  I  did  my 
best." 

"  I  will !  I  will !" 

"  Good-by,  Ned." 

"  Good-by,  John,  good-by !" 

They  kissed  each  other,  tenderly  as  women,  and  bo 
parted,  for  poor  Ned  could  not  stay  to  see  his  comrade 
die.  For  a  little  while,  there  was  no  sound  in  the  room 
but  the  drip  of  water  from  a  stump  or  two  and  John's 
distressful  gasps,  as  he  slowly  breathed  his  life  away.  I 
thought  him  nearly  gone,  and  had  just  laid  down  the 
fan,  believing  its  help  to  be  no  longer  neded,  when  sud- 
denly he  rose  up  in  his  bed,  and  cried  out  with  a  bitter 
cry  that  broke  the  silence,  sharply  startling  every  one 
with  its  agonized  appeal : 

**  For  God's  sake,  give  me  air !" 

It  was  the  only  cry  pain  or  deafh  had  wrung  from 
him,  the  only  boon  he  had  asked ;  and  none  of  us  could 
grant  it,  for  all  the  airs  that  blew  were  useless  now. 
Dan  l!ung  up  the  window.  The  first  red  streak  of  dawn 
was  warming  the  gray  east,  a  herald  of  the  coming  sun; 
John  saw  it,  and  with  the  love  of  light  which  lingers  in 
us  to  the  end,  seemed  to  read  in  it  a  sign  of  hope  of  help, 
for  over  his  whole  face  there  broke  that  mysterious 
expressic  n,  brighter  than  any  smile,  which  often  comes 
to  eyes  that  look  their  last.  He  laid  himself  gently 
down,  and  stretching  out  his  strong  right  arm,  as  if  to 


ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSFITAL.  315 

grasp  aud  bring  the  blessed  air  to  his  lips  in  a  fuller  flow, 
la])sed  into  a  merciful  unconsciousness,  which  assured  ua 
that  for  him  suffering  was  forever  past.  He  died  then ; 
for,  though  the  heavy  breaths  still  tore  their  way  up  for 
a  little  longer,  they  were  but  the  waves  of  an  ebbing 
tide  that  beat  unfelt  against  the  wreck,  which  an  immor- 
tal voyager  had  deserted  with  a  smile.  He  never  spoke 
again,  but  to  the  end  held  my  hand  close,  so  close  that 
when  he  was  asleep  at  last,  I  could  not  draw  it  away 
Dan  helped  me,  warning  me,  as  he  did  so,  that  it  waa 
unsafe  for  dead  and  living  flesh  to  lie  so  long  together; 
but  though  my  hand  was  strangely  cold  and  stiff,  and 
four  white  marks  remained  across  its  back,  even  when 
warmth  and  color  had  returned  elsewhere,  I  could  not 
but  be  glad  that  through  its  touch,  the  presence  of  human 
sympathy,  perhaps,  had  lightened  that  hard  hour. 

When  they  had  made  him  ready  for  the  grave,  John 
lay  in  state  for  half  an  hour,  a  thing  which  seldom  hap- 
pened in  that  busy  place ;  but  a  universal  sentiment  of 
reverence  and  afiection  seemed  to  fill  the  hearts  of  all 
who  had  known  or  heard  of  him ;  and  when  the  rumor 
of  his  death  went  through  the  house,  always  astir,  many 
came  to  see  hira,  and  I  felt  a  tender  sort  of  pride  in  my 
lost  patient ;  for  he  looked  a  most  heroic  figure,  lying 
there  stately  and  still  as  the  statue  of  some  young  knight 
asleep  upon  his  tomb.  The  lovely  expression  which  so 
often  beautifies  dead  faces,  soon  replaced  the  marks  of 
pain,  and  I  longed  for  those  who  loved  him  best  to  see 
him  when  half  an  hour's  acquaintance  with  Death  had 
made  them  friends.  As  we  stood  looking  at  him,  the 
ward  mastei  handed  me  a  letter,  saying  it  had  been  foi> 
gotten  the  night  befoi  >.     Tt  was  John's  letter,  come  jus* 


31C         ARWY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD.  AND    HOSPITAL. 

an  hour  too  late  to  gladden  the  eyes  that  had  Icnged  and 
looked  for  it  so  eagerly :  yet  he  had  it ;  for,  after  I  had 
cut  some  ])ro\vn  locks  for  his  mother,  and  taken  off  the 
ring  to  send  her,  telling  how  well  the  talisman  had  done 
its  work,  I  kissed  this  good  son  for  her  sake,  and  laid 
the  letter  in  his  hand,  still  folded  as  when  I  drew  my 
own  away,  feeling  that  its  place  was  there,  and  making 
myself  happy  with  the  thought,  that  even  in  his  solitary 
place  in  the  "  Government  Lot,"  he  would  not  be  with- 
out some  token  of  the  love  which  makes  life  beautiful 
and  outlives  death.  Then  I  left  him,  glad  to  have  known 
so  genuine  a  man,  and  carrying  with  me  an  enduring 
memory  of  the  brave  Viginia  blacksmith,  as  he  lay 
serenely  waiting  for  the  dawn  of  that  long  day  which 
fcnows  no  night. 


ROBINSON,  THE   WOUNDED   SOLDIER. 

Miss  Dun  lap,  a  Philadelphia  lady,  who  devoted  her- 
self with  great  assiduity  to  the  care  of  the  wounded  sol- 
diers in  the  hospitals,  which  were  so  numerous  around 
that  city,  has  related  some  incidents  of  her  experience 
in  the  hospitals  in  a  most  charming  volume,  entitled 
"  Notes  of  Hospital  Life,"  a  work  deserving  of  much 
wider  circulation  than  it  received. 

Among  these  incidents  there  is  perhaps  none  more 
louching  than  those  she  relates  concerning  Robinson,  a 
Boldier  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  wounded  at  Fair 
Oaks,  May  31,  1862,  and  whom  soon  after  that  battle 
dhe  found  in   one  of  the  wards  of  the  hospital  she  waa 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,   AND    HOSPITAL.  817 

most  accustomed  to  visit,  with  his  arm  bandaged  from 
fthoulder  to  finger-tip,  and  who  was  whistling  a  bright, 
cheerful  tune  in  a  voice  of  uncommon  sweetness. 
Coming  up  to  him,  she  said,  '^  I  am  glad  you  can 
whistle :  it  shows  you  are  not  suffering  so  much  as  I 
feared  when  I  saw  your  bandages." 

He  smiled,  but  said  nothing ;  and  she  noticed,  as  she 
came  closer,  that  large  drops  of  perspiration  were  stand- 
ing in  beads  upon  his  brow;  his  one  free  hand  was 
tightly  clenched,  and  a  nervous  tremor  ran  over  his 
whole  frame. 

One  of  the  patients  in  a  neighboring  bed,  who  had 
become  somewhat  acquainted  with  Miss  Dunlap,  now 
spoke : 

"Ah,  miss,  you  don't  know  Robinson  yet;  he's  a  new 
fellow,  and  we  all  laugh  at  him  here ;  he  says  when  the 
pain's  just  so  bad  he  can't  bear  it  nohow,  he  tries  to 
whistle  with  all  his  might,  and  he  finds  it  does  him 
good." 

"  Whether,"  says  Miss  Dunlap,  "  from  the  suspension 
of  this  novel  remedy  for  acute  suffering,  or  a  sudden  in- 
crease of  pain,  I  cannot  tell ;  but,  as  I  turn  to  Robinson 
for  a  confirmation  of  this  singular  statement,  the  large 
tears  are  in  his  eyes,  and  roll  slowly  down  his  cheeks. 
He  tries  to  smile,  however,  and  says : 

"  '  Oh,  yes ;  it  does  help  me  wonderfully ;  it  kind  of 
makes  me  forget  the  pain,  and  think  I'm  at  home  again, 
where  I'm  always  whistling.  Nothing  like  keeping  up 
a  good  heart.  It  don't  always  ache  like  this — only  in 
spells — it'll  stop  after  a  bit.  Never  mind  me,  ma'am, 
Tm  not  half  so  bad  as  poor  Darlington  there.' " 

The  gentle,  unselfish,  and  patiei  ^  sufferer  who  could 


318         ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

thus  attempt  to  subdue  an^  control  the  anguish  of  hia 
wounds,  by  whistling  up  tb*^  bright  memories  of  home, 
soon  became  a  prime  favorite  in  the  hospital,  where  he 
was  long  detained  by  the  severity  of  his  wounds. 
"•  His  left  arm,"  says  Miss  Dunlap,  "  was  terribly  shat- 
tered, just  below  the  shoulder,  and  injuring  the  shoul- 
der blade ;  and  for  a  long  time  his  case  was  a  \Qiy  criti- 
cal one,  requiring  the  most  close  and  constant  watching. 
He  was  entirely  confined  to  his  bed  for  many  tedious 
weeks,  and  yet  I  know  not  why  I  should  apply  that 
term  to  the  time  so  passed ;  for  they  were  certainly 
never  *  tedious'  to  us,  although  we  felt  great  anxiety  for 
him,  and  we  never  had  any  proof  that  they  were  so  to 
him.  Patient  and  uncomplaining,  the  only  sign  he  gave 
of  suffering,  save  the  contraction  of  his  brow,  was  the 
constant  effort  to  whistle  away  the  pain,  and  his  moans 
in  his  sleep.  There  was  always  something  inexpressi- 
bly sad  to  me  in  these  moans ;  it  seemed  as  though 
the  body  were  compensating  itself,  during  sleep,  for 
the  powerful  restraint  imposed  upon  it  during  waking 
hours. 

"  I  have  rarely  seen  greater  unselfishness  in  any  one. 
During  his  illness,  it  was  all-important  to  keep  up  his 
strength,  for  as  the  wound  began  to  heal,  one  abscess 
followed  another,  and  kept  him  much  prostrated;  we, 
therefore,  tried  to  tempt  his  appetite  in  every  way;  and 
often,  when  I  have  brought  him  some  delicacy,  he  has 
pointed  me  to  some  one  near  him,  with  the  words : 
*  Please  give  it  to  him ;  he  cares  for  such  things  more 
than  I  do.' 

"  His  love  for  his  mother,  and  anxiety  to  spare  her 
all    unnecessary   suffering   on   l:is   account,  was   very 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.  319 

beautiful,  and  attracted  me  to  him  from  the  first.  His 
weakness  was  so  great  that  he  was  utterly  unable,  for  a 
long  time,  even  to  feed  himself,  and,  of  course,  could  not 
write.  When  I  offered  to  do  so  for  him,  he  declined, 
saying,  that  she  knew,  through  a  friend,  that  he  was 
here;  and  that  the  sight  of  a  strange  hand,  with  the 
conviction  that  it  would  bring  that  he  was  too  ill  to 
write  for  himself,  would  be  worse  for  her  than  to  wait  for 
a  little  w  bile. 

"  One  day,  some  time  afterward,  I  came  to  his  bed- 
side, and  found  a  paper  lying  there  with  a  few  unmean- 
ing scratches,  as  I  thought,  upon  it;  he  held  them  up 
to  me. 

" '  The  best  I  could  do.' 

"  *  What  were  you  trying  to  do  ?'  said  I ;  *  did  you 
mean  that  for  drawing  ?' 

"A  look  of  intense  disappointment  passed  over  his 
face. 

"  '  I  was  afraid  so,'  said  he ;  *  then  it  would  frighten 
her,  as  I  thought.  I  meant  it  for  my  signature,  and  I've 
looked  at  it,  'and  looked  at  it,  and  hoped  it  didn't  look 
as  bad  as  I  thought,  at  first;  but  if  you  ask  what  I'm 
trying  to  do,  when  you  see  it,  the  game's  up,  and  it's  no 
use.' 

"  I  assured  him  that  such  a  signature  would  be 
stronger  proof  of  the  real  state  of  the  case  than  any 
letter  I  could  send  telling  the  facts,  and  giving  the 
reasonable  ground  for  hope  which  we  now  felt.  But  he 
still  preferred  to  wait ;  and  ere  very  long  we  found,  by 
pinning  the  paper  to  the  table,  to  keep  it  firm,  he  could 
execute  a  tolerably  legible  epistle.  The  weeks  rolled 
on,  and,  by  slow  degrees,  he  regained  his  strength ;  his 


320  AKMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

bright,  hopeful  disposition,  even  temper,  and  uniform 
ch  ;eil"uhiess,  were  great  aids  to  his  recovery;  and  we 
watched  his  improvement  with  great  satisfaction,  and  at 
laat  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  able  to  be  up,  and 
even  out,  for  a  short  time. 

"  He  came  to  me,  one  morning,  in  our  ladies*  room, 

saying,  '  Miss ,  would  it  be  troubling  you  too  much 

to  ask  you  to  write  to  mother  ?' 

"  ^Brought  to  it  at  last !'  said  I.  'Why  do  you  ask 
me  now,  Robinson,  when  you  have  refused  so  often 
before,  and  can  write  for  yourself?' 

"  *  That's  just  it ;  she  wont  believe  what  I  say;  thinks 
I'm  fooling  her,  and  pretending  to  be  better  than  I  really 
am ;  and  has  an  idea  they're  going  to  take  my  arm  off, 
and  I'm  keeping  it  from  her;  and  I  thought  if  you'd  just 
write,  and  tell  her  it  wasn't  coming  off,  she'd  be  sure 
to  believe  you.' 

"  *  Sure  to  believe  a  stranger  in  preference  to  her  own 
son,  Robinson  ?     Does  that  tell  well  for  the  son.' 

"  *  Yes,  ma'am,  I  think  so;  she  knows  you  could  have 
no  object  in  deceiving  her ;  while  the  thing  I  care  most 
for  in  the  world  is  to  keep  her  from  fretting,  and  she 
knows  it.' 

"  There  was  no  combating  this  reasoning,  and  in  a 
short  time  I  received  a  beautiful  answer  to  my  letter,  well 
written  and  well  expressed,  confirming  all  that  Robin- 
son had  told  us :  that  he  was  the  youngest  son,  and 
had  always  been  carefully  and  tenderly  brought  up; 
that  he  had  two  brothers,  the  only  other  children — one 
had  gone  to  Texas,  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebel- 
lion, and  never  having  heard  from  him  since,  they  feared 
hfj  had  been  pressed  into  the  rebel  service ;  fortunately 


ARMY  LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         321 

she  had  never  heard,  and  I  trust,  now,  never  may 
hear  what  Robinson  had  told  us — that  while  pressing 
on  at  the  Battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  over  heaps  of  the  enemy's 
dead,  he  saw  an  upl  urncd  face  on  the  field — wounded  or 
dead,  lie  knew  not  which — that  face,  he  said,  he  never 
could  mistake — it  was  that  of  his  brother ! 

"AYe  tried  to  convince  him  that  this  was  most  impro- 
bable— that  his  imagination  was  excited  at  the  time,  and 
that  the  dread  that  such  a  thing  might  happen  had  been 
'  fatli(T  to  the  thought ;'  but  in  vain ;  we  never  could 
persuade  him  to  the  contrary ;  and  yet,  whether  from  a 
doubt  in  his  mind,  or  the  dread  of  the  pain  it  must  cause, 
he  never,  as  we  afterward  found,  had  made  any  allusion 
to  the  subject  in  his  letters  home. 

"  One  morning,  after  he  had  been  able  to  be  about, 
and  even  out  for  some  weeks,  I  was  surprised,  on  going 
into  his  ward,  to  find  him  in  bed  again. 

"  '  Why,  Piobinson,  I  am  sorry  to  see  you  there!  What 
have  you  been  doing  ?' 

"  He  hesitated,  twisted  the  end  of  his  coverlid,  but 
made  no  answer. 

*' '  Nothing  wrong,  I'm  very  sure  of  that.  It  wasn't 
your  own  fault,  was  it  ?'  said  I,  fearing  he  thought  1 
doubted  him,  as  so  many  of  the  relapses  here  are  caused 
by  excess,  the  moment  the  men  are  able  to  be  out,  and 
I  well  knew  there  was  no  such  danger  here. 

"  He  looked  up  at  me,  at  once,  with  his  clear,  honest 

eyes,  and  said,  *  Yes,  Miss ,  all  my  own  fault  j  but 

I  thought  she  worried  so ' 

"  *  Your  motier?'  I  questioned. 

"  *  Yes,  ma'a  n ;  and  if  I  could  just  slip  my  arm  into 
my  coat-sleeve  long  enough  to  have  my  picture  taken, 

21 


522         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

she'd  see  it  was  better,  and  it  would  set  her  mind  at  rest 
more  than  all  the  letters  I  could  write.' 

"  So  to  satisfy  this  mother's  heart,  the  poor  wounded 
ehoulder  had  been  forced  into  his  sleeve,  giving  him,  aa 
it  did,  several  weeks  of  added  sufiering  and  confinement 
to  his  bed.  Can  any  one  wonder  that  such  a  man  should 
have  won  his  way  to  our  hearts ;  or  at  our  regret,  when 
we  found  he  was  to  be  transferred  to  another  hospital, 
at  some  distance  from  the  city  ?  We  thus  lost  sight  of 
him  for  many  months.  Several  times  when  I  asked 
after  him  at  our  own  hospital,  I  was  told  that  he  had 
been  there  but  a  short  time  since ;  sometimes  the  week 
before ;  sometimes  only  the  day  before ;  but  it  so  hai> 
pened  that  we  never  met.  His  wound  they  told  me  was 
far  from  well,  varying  very  much ;  some  days  giving 
hope  that  it  would  heal,  and  then  bursting  out  again.  I 
bad  received  many  and  urgent  letters  from  his  mother, 
before  he  left  us,  begging  me  to  use  all  the  influence  1 
could  bring  to  bear,  to  have  him  transferred  to  a  hospi- 
tal near  his  home  (this  was  of  course  before  the  present 
order  on  the  subject  had  been  given) ;  but  on  ajDplying 
to  the  surgeon,  I  found  that  he  considered  his  wound  far 
too  serious  to  attempt  the  journey,  and  that  Robinson  so 
fully  agreed  with  him.  that  I  wrote  the  poor  disappointed 
mother  to  that  eJ0fect,  trying  to  console  her  with  the  hope 
of  restoring  him  to  her,  ere  very  long,  perfectly  cured. 
The  winter  slipped  away ;  the  pressure  of  present  ho^ 
pital  duties  and  interests  had  almost  crowded  out  all 
thoughts  of  Robinson,  when  I  am  surprised,  one  sunny 
April  afternoon,  to  receive  a  note  from  one  of  our  lady 
visitors,  telling  me  of  Robinson's  extreme  illness,  and  that 
it  is  scarcely  supposed  he  can  recover. 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSriTAL.         323 

"  An  hour  later  finds  M.  and  myself  driving  rapidly  out 
to  tlio  hospital  where  he  now  is ;  and  here  we  are  at  the 
gates;  how  shall  we  enter?  Ah  !  we  do  not  now  fear  a 
guard  with  a  bayonet,  as  we  should  have  done  some  time 
since ;  and  fifteen  minutes  more  suffices  for  all  the  neces- 
sary *  red  tape'  connected  with  admittance,  and  we  are 
at  the  door  of  Robinson's  ward,  listening  to  the  ward- 
master's  answer  to  our  question  : 

"  '  Yes,  ladies,  walk  in ;  but  he  wont  know  you ;  he's 
too  low,  and  he's  flighty  all  the  time.' 

"  '  Wont  know  us !'  Robinson  not  know  us !  We 
cannot  believe  that ;  but  see !  he  is  leading  the  way ; 
and  we  follow  to  a  bed  where  lies  a  man  tossins;  restr- 
lessly,  and  talking  or  rather  muttering  to  himself  in  an 
indistinct  tone ;  his  bandaged  shoulder  and  arm  resting 
on  a  pillow,  for  an  operation  has  been  performed — a 
large  piece  of  bone  extracted — and  the  result  still  doubt- 
ful. Doubtful  ?  No ;  too  certain ;  that  face  is  enough. 
Poor  mother  in  your  western  home,  you  can  never  look 
upon  your  boy,  till  you  meet  at  the  final  Bar,  in  the 
presence  of  your  Judge !  God  in  his  mercy  grant  thai 
it  may  be  to  spend  a  happy  eternity  together ! 

"And  yet,  as  we  stand,  we  find  ourselves  almost  doubt- 
ing whether  this  can  really  be  our  merry,  laughing, 
whistling  Robinson.  Little  hope,  indeed,  that  he  will 
recognize  us,  but  let  us  try. 

"  '  Robinson,  do  you  know  me  ?'  He  starts,  and  in  a 
moment  the  vacant  gaze  changes  into  one  of  his  old 
bright  smiles  of  recognition. 

"  *  Know  you  !     Why  shouldn't  I  know  you  ?     How 

long  it  is.  Miss ,  since  I  have  seen  you — and  you 

too,'  added  he,  stretching  out  his  hani  to  M.  j  but  even 


324         ARMY   LIFE   IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

as  lie  spoke,  liis  expression  changed,  and  his  mind 
wandered  again. 

"And  this  was  the  end  of  all  our  care — this  the  result 
of  so  many  weary  months  of  suffering.  He  seemed 
pleased  at  our  coming,  and  would  answer  any  direct 
question,  but  could  not  sustain  a  conversation  of  even  a 
few  moments.  We  found  our  old  friend,  Hiandsome 
Harry,'  of  concert  memorj^,  who  had  been  transferred 
at  the  same  time,  established  here  as  Robinson's  devoted 
nurse,  although  enth'ely  unable  to  move  without  crutches. 
He  told  us  that  the  surgeon  had  told  him  that  morning, 
that  if  his  family  wished  to  see  him  he  had  better 
telegraph  for  them  at  once.  Robinson  heard  us,  and 
catching  the  Avord  '  telegraph,'  said  quickly,  '  Don't 
telegraph  ;  father's  poor,  and  he  might  come  on;  I'll  be 
better  soon,  and  get  a  furlough,  and  go  out  to  them.' 

"  ^  But,  Robinson,'  said  I,  '  you  are  very  ill ;  perhaps 
you  may  not  be  better,  and  you  would  like  to  see  your 
father.' 

"  'I  don't  think  I  am  very  ill — they  said  so  to-day; 
but  I  think  I'll  come  round  soon.' 

"  The  next  moment  he  was  on  the  field,  and  evidently 
going  over  the  fatal  '  Fair  Oaks '  fight. 

*'  His  friend  Harry  told  us  that  it  had  been  his  most 
earnest  desire  and  longing  to  see  his  father ;  and  that 
he  had  urged  him  some  days  ago,  if  he  should  l)e  worse, 
to  let  them  know  at  home.  I  therefore  wrote  the 
telegram  on  his  table,  and  we  drove  to  the  office  on  our 
ret-irn  to  the  city,  that  no  time  might  be  lost. 

"  I  was  detained  at  home  for  the  two  succeeding  days ; 
bt.t  some  of  our  ladies  went  out  to  see  him  each  day, 
as  he  was  ?.  general  favorite ;  one  lady  going  in  a  pour- 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIL'LD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         325 

iug  rain,  although  she  knew  that  she  would  have  nearly 
a  mile  to  walk  after  leaving  the  cars ;  their  report  of 
the  case  was  most  unfavorable.  On  the  third  day,  the 
Rev.  Mr. ,  who  had  been  a  most  constant  and  faith- 
ful friend  to  Robinson,  in  our  hospital,  went  out  with 
Die.  When  we  arrived,  we  found  him  in  a  terrible  state 
of  excitement;  he  had  been  talking,  and  was  now 
almost  shrieking,  and  dashing  himself  from  side  to  side. 

*' '  It's  no  use  speaking  to  him  to-day,'  said  the  ward 
master ;  '  he  don't  know  anybody.' 

*'  But  once  again  I  tried  it,  and  once  again  he  extended 
Lis  hand,  and  repeated  my  name,  and  then  said,  'And 
Mr. ,  how  very  kind  in  him  to  come  !' 

"I  sat  down  by  him,  and  tried  to  soothe  and  calm  that 
dreadful  restlessness ;  his  mind  was  too  much  gone  for 
words,  I  only  gently  stroked  his  brow,  and  fanned  him. 
*  I  am  out  on  the  water ;  out  on  the  water  !'  was  his 
one  cry,  from  a  low  tone  ascending  till  it  amounted 
almost  to  a  scream.  Truly  he  was  'out  on  the  water,' 
and  where  was  compass  or  chart  for  the  final  voyage  ? 
Those  words,  with  the  constant  repetition  of  his  brother's 
name,  were  the  last  I  ever  heard  him  utter.     The  only 

moment  of  calmness  I  noticed,  was  when  Mr. knelt 

at  his  bedside,  and  repeated  those  soul-soothing  prayers, 
from  the  '  Visitation  of  the  Sick.'  He  attempted  no 
conversation,  for  we  well  knew  Robinson  was  in  no 
state  to  bear  it.  We  had  felt,  from  the  first,  that  prayer 
for  him  was  all  that  we  could  offer ;  not  witli  him,  as 
his  intervals  of  consciousness  were  merely  momentary. 
Ilis  father  had  not  ycit  arrived,  and  there  appeared  little 
hope  that  he  could  now  do  so  in  time,  as  he  was  very 
much  lower  than  on  m^  last  visit,  and  evidently  sinking 


326         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

As  our  presence  could  give  him  no  comfort,  we  left  him 
with  heavy  hearts. 

"  When  I  reached  there  the  next  day,  I  found  that  an 
order  had  been  given  prohibiting  all  admittance  for 
visitors  to  his  ward,  as  the  surgeon  thought  that  Rotan- 
Bon  had  been  excited  by  those  he  had  seen  the  day 
before,  but  that  his  flither  had  come,  and  that  we  could 
see  him ;  he  had  arrived  that  morning. 

"  There  are  few  things  connected  with  this  hospital 
work  which  I  recall  with  more  pleasure  than  the  simple, 
earnest  gratitude  of  this  bronzed  and  weather-beaten 
old  man,  for  the  trifling  kindnesses  which  we  had  been 
able  to  olBfer  to  his  boy.  There  was  something  about  him 
altogether  so  real,  so  honest,  genuine,  and  smcere,  that 
one  could  not  help  feeling  drawn  to  him  at  once.  He 
was  a  rough,  plain  Western  man,  primitive  in  the 
extreme;  but  no  one  could  listen  to  him  without  the 
consciousness  that  a  warai,  true,  noble  heart,  beat 
beneath  that  uncouth  exterior. 

*'  Had  the  telegram  been  a  day  later  he  could  not  have 
reached  here  for  nearly  a  week  longer.  The  train, 
which  only  runs  on  certain  days,  left  the  morning 
after  he  received  the  news ;  he  had  travelled  night  and 
day,  making  every  connection,  and  performing  the 
journey  as  rapidly  as  it  could  be  done. 

His  boy,  he  said,  had  recognized  him,  and  he  was 
pleased  to  find  him  better  than  he  had  hoped  for.  He 
thought  with  care  he  would  get  well  now,  and  he  was 
going  at  once  to  telegraph  the  good  news  to  his  wife. 

"We  were  thunderstruck;  how  could  he  be  so 
deceived?  For  although  we  had  not  seen  Robinson 
that  day,  w  3  well  knew  he  was  in  a  condition  from 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         327 

which  he  could  not  rally.  It  seemed,  therefore,  no 
kindness  to  allow  his  mother  to  be  tortured  with  false 
hope,  and  we  earnestly  represented  (hard  as  it  seemed 
to  do  so)  that  the  surgeons  did  not  look  for  any  im- 
provement; but  all  in  vain — he  had  seen  sickness — he 
had  seen  doctors  mistaken  before  now — his  boy  was 
going  to  get  well ;  so  he  accompanied  us  to  the  telegraph 
station,  and  sent  his  message.     That  evening  I  was  told 

some  one  wanted  to  see  me,  from  the hospital,  and 

on  going  out,  was  met  by  the  words,  ^  Miss ,  my 

boy's  gone,  my  boy's  gone !'  and  a  burst  of  sobs,  which 
seemed  as  though  it  must  shake  that  poor  old  frame  to 
pieces. 

"  He  had  scarcely  left,  in  the  morning,  to  send  his 
hopeful  telegram,  when  the  change  took  place,  and 
Robinson  breathed  his  last  just  as  his  father  reached 
his  bedside.  The  blow  fell  heavier,  as  we  had  feared, 
from  the  strong  hope  he  had  persisted  in  entertaining, 
and  even  then  it  seemed  as  though  he  were  too  much 
bewildered  and  stunned  to  realize  fully  what  had  oo* 
curred.  There  was  something  inexpressibly  touching  in 
the  grief  of  that  poor,  bowed-down  old  man,  shattered 
as  he  was,  too,  by  hard  travel  and  loss  of  rest ;  and  yet 
I  hardly  knew  how  to  comfort  him,  or  to  answer  that 
sad  appeal,  ^  How  can  I  go  back  to  his  mother  without 
him  ?'  Deep  grief  must  ever  bear  with  it  a  reverence 
of  il3  own,  and  this  seemed  something  one  scarcely 
dared  meddle  with. 

"He  said  the  funeral  was  to  take  place  the  next 
afternoon,  and  begged  that  the  ladies  who  had  been  so 
kind  to  him  would  b«  present  for  his  mother's  sake ;   he 


628         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

thought  it  would  comfort  her  to  know  it.  I  readily  con- 
sented, and  promised  to  inform  the  others. 

*'  He  rose  to  go,  and  drawing  a  little  paper  from  his 
pocket,  said:  ^I  thought  maybe  you  might  care  for 
this;  it  is  a  lock  of  my  boy's  hair,  which  I  cut  off  for 
you,  and  I  thought  his  mother  would  be  glad  to  know 
you  had  it.' 

"I  expressed  my  feelings  in  a  few  words,  which 
seemed  to  soothe  and  gratify  him. 

''  That  poor  mother  seemed  never  out  of  his  thoughts; 
and  again  and  again  would  he  repeat  that  piteous  ques- 
tion, '  How  can  I  go  back  to  her  without  him  ?' 

"  But  he  need  not  have  feared ;  that  mother's  heart 
was  anchored  on  the  Rock  which  alone  can  withstand 
the  storms  of  earth.  Listen  to  but  one  sentence  from  her 
first  letter  (to  one  of  the  ladies,  who  had  been  a  kind 
and  constant  correspondent),  after  that  sad  return. 

"  *At  first  it  seemed  I  could  not  bear  it.  My  bright- 
faced,  joyous  boy — my  sunbeam !  But  soon  came  the 
thought,  how.  short  the  journey  would  be  for  me  to  go 
to  him,  and  that  my  sunbeam  would  now  shed  its  ray 
upon  me  from  the  sky,  to  light  my  path  onward  and 
upward.' 

"It  would  be  of  little  avail  to  go  into  the  dreary 
details  of  that  dreariest  afternoon.  Touching  in  the 
extreme  did  it  seem  to  see  the  little  band  (for  the  ladies 
willingly  agreed  to  the  request  to  be  present)  take  their 
places  as  mourners  with  the  father;  mourners  in  reality, 
though  so  lately  strangers ;  mourners,  for  we  claimed  a 
right  to  grieve ;  for  was  it  not,  as  I  have  said,  a  young 
life  given  for  our  country  as  well  as  his  ? — for  the  one 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND  HOSPITAL.         329 

common  cause  which  forms  so  strong  a  bond  between 
all  loyal  hearts  ? 

"A  heavy,  pouring  rain  added  to  the  general  gloom ; 
the  only  comfort  came  from  the  words  of  our  Burial 
Service,  which  must  always  fall  with  blessed  balm  upon 
the  sorrowful  soul.  It  was  performed  at  his  father's  re- 
quest, and  with  the  permission  of  the  surgeon  in  charge, 

by  Robinson's  kind  and  true  friend,  the  Rev.  Mr. , 

to  whom  I  have  alluded  before. 

' '  It  was  a  long,  long  time  ere  I  could  forget  the  face 
of  that  broken-hearted  old  father,  as — every  thing  over 
— he  stood  at  the  door,  as  we  drove  off,  leaving  him 
lonely  and  desolate  among  strangers.  He  was  to  start 
that  night  alone,  in  the  rain,  on  his  sad,  homeward 
journey,  and  seemed  to  long  to  keep  us  with  him  to  the 
last;  and  how  we  longed  to  stay  to  comfort  him !  But 
we  must  say  good-by,  and  with  a  long,  warm  grasp  of 
that  rough  hand,  we  parted,  and  one  more  hospital  sor- 
row was  over. 

"  Brave,  gentle,  heroic  heart !  The  aching  limb,  the 
suffering  frame,  tlie  strained,  excited  nerves  are  stilled 
forever.  Robinson  sleeps  in  a  land  of  strangers ;  but 
the  turf  that  covers  that  '  soldier's  grave'  will  be  mois- 
tened and  kept  green  by  the  tears  of  those  who  can 
never  forget  that  bright  example  of  noble  unselfishness 
Hud  beautiful  patience  under  severest  suffering  and  trial/' 


330         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   UOSl'ITAL. 


Challenging  tue  Sentinel. — It  was  the  custom  of  tLe 
colonel  of  the  Eighty-fifth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  to 
make  the  rounds  every  night  in  person,  and  satisfy 
himself  that  every  sentinel  was  at  his  post  and  doing 
his  duty.  On  one  occasion,  while  in  the  discharge  of 
that  self-imposed  duty,  he  approached  a  post,  and  re- 
ceived the  challenge  as  usual,  "  Who  comes  there  ?" 

"Friend  with  the  countersign,"  was  the  colonel's 
reply. 

Here  the  poor  sentinel  was  at  a  loss.  The  rest  of  his 
instructions  had  been  forgotten.  The  colonel  was  a 
very  particular  man,  and  insisted  that  every  thing 
should  be  done  exactly  right.  So,  after  spending  con- 
siderable time  in  the  endeavor  to  impress  the  ''role" 
upon  the  mind  of  the  sentinel,  he  suggested  that  7ie  would 
act  as  sentinel  while  the  other  should  personate  the 
colonel.  "  Blinky" — for  such  was  this  soldier's  surname 
in  the  regiment — moved  back  a  few  paces  and  then 
turned  to  approach  the  colonel.  "  Who  comes  there  ?'* 
challenged  the  colonel. 

"TF/iy,  Blinhy ;  clorit  you  Tctu/w  me,  colonel?'' 

This  was  too  much  for  even  so  patient  and  forbearing 
a  man  as  Colonel  Howell.  "As  green  as  verdigris/* 
thought  he.  The  gun  was  handed  over,  and  the  colonel 
passed  on  to  the  next  post,  meditating  upon  the  vanity 
of  all  earthly  things  in  general,  and  of  things  military 
in  particular. 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         331 


RACHEL  SOMERS,  THE  NOBLE  MOTHER. 

Mr.  J.  R.  GiLMORE  (Edmund  Kirke)  relates  an  incident 
wliicli  occured  under  his  own  observation  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, which  proves  that  the  Spartan  mother  who  gave 
her  sons  the  charge,  as  she  handed  them  their  shields, 
"  Come  back  with  these,  or  upon  them !"  has  been  far 
surpassed  in  lofty  heroism  by  an  American,  Christian 
mother.  A  chaplain  of  one  of  the  regiments  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland,  whom  he  was  visiting,  invited 
him  to  accompany  him  to  the  regimental  hospital. 
"  One  of  my  boys  is  dying,"  he  said — "  a  Tennessee  boy, 
wounded  at  Stone  river.  He  has  lingered  long,  but  now 
is  going."     Mr.  Gilmore  continues  : 

Walking  rapidly  across  the  open  fields,  we  entered, 
at  the  end  of  a  short  half  hour,  a  dingy  warehouse  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  city.  About  fifty  low  cots  were 
ranged  along  the  two  sides  of  a  narrow,  cheerless  apart- 
ment on  the  ground  floor  of  this  building,  and  on  one  of 
them  the  wounded  soldier  was  lying.  His  face  was 
pallid,  his  eyes  were  fixed,  a  cold,  clammy  sweat  was 
on  his  forehead — he  Avas  dying.  Sitting  at  his  feet  was 
a  lad  of  sixteen ;  and  kneeling  at  his  side,  her  hand  in 
his,  was  a  middle-aged  woman,  with  worn  garments,  and 
a  thin,  sorrow-marked  face. 

"  You  are  too  late !  He  is  almost  gone,"  said  the  col- 
onel of  the  regiment,  as  we  paused  before  the  group. 

The  chaplain  made  no  reply,  but  slowly  uncovered 
his  head,  for  the  dying  man  was  speaking. 

*'  Mother,"  he  said,  "good-by.     And  you,  Tom,  good 


33:i         AIIMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

by.     Be  of  good  heart,  mother.     God  will  take  care  of 

yoa,  and  save — save  the ."      A   low   sound   then 

rattled   in  his  throat,  and  he  passed  away,  with   the 
name  of  his  country  on  his  lips. 

The  mother  bent  down  and  closed  the  eyelids  of  her 
dead  son ;  and  then,  kissing  again  and  again  his  pale 
face,  turned  to  go  away.  As  she  did  so,  the  chaplain, 
taking  her  hand  in  his,  said  to  her : 

*'  The  Lord  gave :  the  Lord  hath  taken  away." 

Looking  up  to  him  with  tranquil  fiice  and  tearless  eyes, 
the  woman  answered  : 

"  *  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.'  They  have  mur- 
dered my  husband,  Mr.  Chapl'in,  my  oldest  boy,  and 
now  John,  too,  is  gone."  Then,  laying  her  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  her  living  son,  she  turned  to  the  colonel,  and 
while  her  voice  trembled  a  very  little,  she  added  :  "  He's 
all  I've  got  now,  Mr.  Gunnel — give  him  John's  place 
in  the  rigiment." 

A  tear  rolled  down  the  colonel's  weather-beaten 
cheek,  and  he  turned  his  face  away,  but  said  nothing. 
There  was  a  convulsive  twitching  about  the  chaplain's 
firm-set  mouth,  as  lie  said  : 

"  The  SpaTtan  mother  gave  only  two  sons  to  her 
country :  would  you  give  three .?" 

"  I'd  give  all — all  I've  got,  Mr.  Chapl'in,"  was  the  low 
answer. 

And  this  was  a  "  poor  white"  woman !  Her  words 
Bhould  be  heard  all  over  the  land.  They  should  go 
down  in  history,  and  make  her  name — Rachel  Somebs 
— immorta.^ 


ARMY   LIFE   IN"   CAMP,    FIELD,  AND    UOSPITAL.         333 


THE  SOLDIERS'  GUARDIAN  ANGEL. 

Among  those  who  have  sacrificed  all  the  comforts  of 
life,  the  pleasures  of  society,  and  the  delights  of  intellec- 
tual culture  and  association  for  the  still  higher  and  holier 
joy  of  ministering  to  those,  who,  on  our  great  battle  fields, 
have  fiiUen  in  defence  of  their  country,  there  is  none  more 
deserving  of  a  nation's  gratitude  and  enduring  remem- 
brance than  Miss  Clara  H..  Barton. 

Of  an  excellent  family  in  Massachusetts,  a  family  num- 
bering among  its  connections  some  of  the  most  eminent 
citizens  of  the  Old  Bay  State,  highly  educated,  and 
though  modest  and  difiident  in  manner,  possessing  ex- 
traordinary executive  ability,  and  an  active  and  self-re- 
liant disposition,  this  young  and  gifted  woman,  from  the 
time  of  the  wounding  of  our  soldiers  in  Baltimore,  gave 
herself  wlioll}^  to  the  work  of  ministering  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  At  first, 
owing  to  the  obstacles  which  were  in  the  way  of  the  per- 
sonal ministrations  of  women  unconnected  with  the  Sani- 
tary Commission  in  the  field,  she  confined  her  labors  to 
the  hospitals,  and  to  the  sending  of  supplies  by  trust- 
worthy distributers  to  the  army  in  the  field,  from  Wash- 
ington. Soon,  however,  this  ceased  to  satisfy  her  patri- 
otic heart,  wliich  longed  to  give  to  the  wounded  heroes, 
on  the  battle  field  or  in  the  field  hospitals,  those  gentle 
ministries  which  woman  only  can  bestow.  After  a  severe 
mental  struggle  with  those  conventional  ideas  which  de- 
clared it  altogether  improper  for  a  young  ladj^  unpro- 
tected, to  go  even  on  ai  errand  of  mercy  into  the  army. 


334         ARMY   LIFK   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

she  went  first  with  a  car  load  of  supplies  to  Culpepper 
Court  House,  just  after  the  disastrous  battle  of  Cedar 
Mountain,  on  the  9th  of  August,  1862.  Returning  to 
Washington,  she  obtained  the  assistance  of  other  ladies 
and  one  or  two  gentlemen  as  companions  in  her  labors 
of  love,  and  with  another  car  load  of  supplies  reached 
the  battle  field  of  Bull  Run  at  the  close  of  the  second 
struggle  of  that  name,  on  the  30th  of  August,  1862.  Her 
coming  here  was  almost  like  an  angel's  visit.  The  sur- 
geons, overworked  by  the  sad  necessities  of  that  bloody 
fray,  which  had  come  upon  a  succession  of  previous 
battles,  were  just  ready  to  give  out  and  abandon  their 
work  in  despair.  They  were  without  bandages,  without 
cordials,  without  lights,  without  food  for  themselves  or 
the  wounded,  when  just  at  the  moment  of  despair,  Miss 
Barton,  who,  finding  that  locomotives  could  not  be  made 
to  work,  had  impressed  into  her  service  some  mules,  who 
dragged  the  car  along  the  rickety  track,  drove  up  her- 
self, greatl}'^  exhausted  with  her  exertions,  but  with  every 
thing  that  was  needed,  bandages,  cordials,  lights,  and 
food,  and  by  her  own  ministrations  of  gentleness  and 
tenderness,  recalled  to  life  and  hope  many  who  were 
already  far  on  their  way  into  the  land  of  shadows.  She 
remained  on  the  field,  amid  great  personal  peril,  during 
the  next  two  days,  ministering  to  the  wounded  from  the 
battle  of  Chantilly,  even  when  surgeons  fled  from  the 
field.  By  the  3d  of  September,  the  army  with  its 
wounded  were  safe  under  the  shelter  of  the  fortifica- 
tions around  Washington,  and  her  vocation  for  the  mo- 
ment had  ceased.  Three  days  later  they  were  march- 
ing in  long  columns  northward  to  meet  the  foe  in  i\Iary- 
land,  and  a  great  battle  was  evidently  impending  near 


AR.MY    LIFE   IM    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    IIOSriTAL.         335 

the  Pennsylvania  border.  Miss  Barton  promptly  sought 
the  opportunity  of  carrying  aid  and  succor  to  those  who 
were  destined  to  sutler  in  the  impending  battle.  But 
the  place  where  the  battle  would  be  fought  was  unknown, 
and  transportation  almost  wholly  unattainable.  With 
great  difficulty,  her  friend,  General  Rucker,  superinten- 
dent of  transportation,  managed  to  spare  her  a  single 
army  wagon  and  one  teamster.  Loading  this  with  such 
supplies  as  her  experience  had  taught  her  would  be 
needed,  and  accompanied  only  by  Mr.  C.  M.  "Welles,  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Free  Mission  Society,  she  started,  on  the 
morning  of  Sunday,  September  14th,  1862,  to  follow  the 
route  of  the  army,  riding  in  the  army  wagon,  and  sleep- 
ing in  it  at  night.  On  her  route  she  purchased  all  the 
bread  she  could  find  at  the  farm-houses.  After  three  days 
of  travel  over  the  dusty  roads  of  Maryland,  she  reached 
Burnside's  corps  after  dark  on  the  night  of  the  16th, 
and  found  the  two  armies  lying  face  to  face  along  the 
opposing  ridges  of  hills  that  bound  the  valley  of  the 
Antietam.  There  had  already  been  heavy  skirmishing, 
far  away  on  the  right,  where  Hooker  had  forded  the 
creek,  and  taken  position  on  the  opposite  hills ;  and  the 
air  was  dark  and  thick  with  fog  and  exhalations,  with 
the  smoke  of  camp-fires,  and  the  preparations  for  the 
fierce  struggle  of  the  morrow. 

There  was  little  sleep  that  night,  and  as  the  morning 
sun  rose  bright  and  beautiful  over  the  Blue  Eidge,  and 
its  rays  lit  up  what  was  soon  to  become  the  valley  of 
death,  the  firing  on  the  right  was  resumed.  Reinforce- 
ments soon  began  to  move  along  the  rear  to  Hooker's 
support.  Believing  that  the  place  of  danger  was  the 
place  of  duty,  Miss  Barton  ordered  her  mules  to  be  hai 


336         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AXD   HOSPITAL. 

ncsscd,  and  took  her  place  in  the  swift  moving  train  of 
artillery  that  was  passing.  On  reaching  the  scene  of 
action,  they  turned  into  a  field  of  tall  corn  and  drove 
through  it  to  a  large  barn.  They  were  close  upon  the 
line  of  battle;  the  rebel  shot  and  shell  flew  thickly 
around  and  over  them;  and  in  the  barnyard  and  among 
the  corn,  lay  wounded  and  bleeding  men — the  worst 
cases — ;]ust  brought  from  the  places  where  they  had- 
tallen.  The  army  medical  supplies  had  not  yet  arrived, 
nor  the  Sanitary  Commission  stores,  which  indeed  did 
not  come  till  one  or  two  days  later ;  the  small  stock  of 
dressings  brought  by  the  surgeons  was  exhausted,  and 
the  surgeons,  in  their  desperate  necessity,  were  endeav- 
oring to  make  bandages  out  of  corn  husks.  Miss  Barton 
opened  to  them  her  stock  of  bandages  and  dressings,  and 
with  her  companion  in  travel  proceeded  to  procure  soft 
bread  dipped  in  wine  for  the  wounded  and  fainting.  In 
the  course  of  the  day  she  picked  up  twenty-five  men 
who  had  come  to  the  rear  with  the  wounded,  and  set 
them  to  work  administering  restoratives,  bringing  and 
applying  water,  lifting  men  into  easier  positions,  check- 
ing hemorrhages  by  extemporized  tourniquets,  and  the 
use  of  styptics,  etc.,  etc.  At  length  her  supply  of  bread 
was  exhausted,  but  fortunately  a  part  of  the  liquors  she 
had  brought  was  found  to  have  been  packed  in  meal,  and 
she  at  once  determined  to  prepare  gruel  for  the  men. 
The  farm-house  to  which  the  barn  belonged  was  discov- 
ered at  a  little  distance,  and  on  searching  its  cellar  she 
found  three  barrels  of  flour  and  a  bag  of  salt  which  had 
been  hidden  there  by  the  rebels  the  day  before.  Kettles 
were  collected  from  the  house,  and  the  preparation  of 
gruel  commenced  on  a  large  scale,  and  as  fast  as  cooked 


ARMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELP,  AND   HOSPITAL.         337 

It  was  carried  in  buckets  and  distributed  along  the  line 
I'or  miles.  On  the  ample  piazza  of  the  house  were  ranged 
the  operating  tables,  where  the  surgeons  with  terrible 
rapidity  performed  their  fearful  work;  and  on  that 
piazza  Miss  Barton  kept  her  place  from  before  noon  till 
nightfall,  preparing  gruel,  ministering  to  the  wounded, 
and  directing  her  assistants,  the  whole  time  directly 
under  the  fire  of  one  of  the  fiercest  battles  of  the  war. 
Before  night  her  face  was  as  black  as  a  negro's,  and  her 
lips  and  throat  parched  with  the  sulphurous  smoke  of 
battle.  But  night  came  at  last,  and  with  it  a  cessation 
of  the  deadly  conflict.  The  dead  and  wounded  lay 
everywhere.  Amid  the  rows  of  corn,  in  the  barn,  in  the 
yard,  and  on  the  piazza,  and  in  the  rooms  of  the  house, 
they  were  laid  so  thickly  that  it  was  difiicult  to  move 
between  the  rows. 

As  the  night  closed  in,  the  surgeon  in  charge  look. 4 
despairingly  at  a  bit  of  candle,  and  said  it  was  the  only 
one  on  the  place,  and  no  one  could  stir  till  morning 
A  thousand  men  dangerously  wounded  and  suflfering 
fearfully  with  thirst  lay  around  that  building,  and  if  not 
succored  many  must  die  before  the  morning's  light.  It 
was  a  fearful  thing  to  die  alone  and  in  the  dark,  but  for 
aught  he  could  see,  it  must  come  to  that.  Miss  Barton 
replied,  that  profiting  by  her  experience  at  Chantilly, 
she  had  brought  with  her  thirty  lanterns  and  an  abun- 
dance of  candles.  It  was  worth  a  journey  to  Antietam 
to  see  the  joy  and  hope  that  beamed  from  the  faces  of 
the  wounded,  when  they  learned  that  they  were  not  to 
be  left  in  darkness  through  that  long,  sad  night,  and 
found  that  it  was  due  to  her  careful  forethought  which 
had  provided  for  the^'r  needs.  On  the  morrow  the 
22 


338         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

fighting  had  ceased,  but  the  work  of  caring  foi  the 
wounded  was  resumed  and  continued  all  day.  On  the 
third  day  the  regular  supplies  arrived,  and  Miss  Barton 
having  exhausted  her  small  stores,  and  finding  that  her 
protracted  fiitigue  and  watching  was  bringing  on  a  fever, 
tiirned  her  course  toward  Washington.  It  was  with 
difficulty  that  she  was  able  to  reach  home,  where  she 
was  confined  to  her  bed  for  some  time. 

About  the  23d  of  October,  1862,  another  great  battle 
being  expected  in  the  vicinity  of  Harper's  Ferry,  she 
left  "Washington  with  a  well  appointed  and  heavily  laden 
train  of  six  wagons  and  an  ambulance,  with  seven  team, 
eters  and  thirty-eight  mules.  The  government  furnished 
transportation  and  the  support  of  its  teamsters,  but  the 
supplies  were  mostly  procured  from  her  own  means  or 
the  contributions  of  friends.  Her  teamsters  were  rough 
and  ruffianly  fellows,  who  had  no  disposition  to  be  com- 
manded by  a  woman,  and  who  mutinied  when  they  had 
gone  but  a  few  miles.  Perfectly  self-possessed  and  digni- 
fied in  her  manner.  Miss  Barton  directed  them  to  proceed, 
and  stated  to  them  the  course  she  should  pursue  if  they 
continued  insubordinate,  and  they  sulkily  returned  to 
their  duty,  venting  their  oaths  and  imprecations,  however, 
on  every  thing  in  their  way.  She  overtook  the  army  as  it 
was  crossing  the  Potomac  below  Harper's  Ferry.  Her 
teamsters  refused  to  cross.  She  summoned  them  to  her 
ambulance,  and  gave  them  the  alternative  of  crossing 
peaceably  and  behaving  themselves  as  they  should,  or 
of  being  instantly  dismissed  and  replaced  by  soldiers. 
They  knew  very  well  that  their  dismission  under  such 
circumstances  would  be  followed  by  their  arrest  and 
punishment,  a'd  having  become  convinced  by  this  time 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.  339 

that  this  gentle  and  winning  woman  possessed  sufficient 
resolution  and  determination  to  act  promptly  and  vigor- 
ously, the}'  yielded,  and  from  that  day  forward  gave 
her  nc  further  trouble,  obeying  readily  her  every  request. 
The  expected  battle  did  not  come  off,  but  in  its  place 
there  was  a  race  for  Richmond  between  the  opposing  armies. 
The  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  the  advantage  of  interior 
lines,  keeping  for  some  time  along  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Blue  Ridge,  while  the  rebel  army  followed  the  course  of 
the  Shenandoah.  There  was  a  struggle  at  every  gap  in 
the  Blue  Ridge,  the  rebels  usually  gaining  possession  of 
the  pass  first,  and  endeavoring  to  surprise  some  portion 
of  the  Union  army  as  it  passed,  or  to  capture  a  part  of 
the  supply  trains.  Thus  every  day  brought  its  battle 
or  skirmish,  and  its  additions  to  the  list  of  the  sick  and 
wounded ;  and  for  a  period  of  about  three  weeks,  until 
Warrenton  Junction  was  reached,  the  national  army  had 
no  base  of  operations,  nor  any  reinforcements  or  supplies. 
The  sick  were  carried  all  this  time  over  the  rough 
roads  in  ambulances  or  the  hard,  jolting  army  wagons. 
Miss  Barton  with  her  wagon  train  accompanied  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps,  as  general  purveyor  for  the  sick. 
Her  original  supply  of  comforts  was  very  considerable, 
and  her  men  contrived  to  add  to  it  every  day  such  fresh 
provisions  as  could  be  gathered  from  the  country.  At 
each  night's  encampment,  they  lighted  their  fires  and 
prepared  fresh  food  and  necessary  articles  of  diet  fox 
the  moving  hospitals.  Through  all  that  long  and  pain- 
ful march  from  Harper's  Ferry  to  Fredericksburg, 
those  wagons  constituted  the  hospital,  larder,  and  kitchen 
for  all  the  sick  within  reach.  At  Warrenton  Junction 
she  left  h  ^r  train  in  charge  of  a  friend  like-minded  with 


310         ARMT    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

herself,  and  hastened  to  Washmgton  for  fic^h  supplies, 
with  which  she  soon  rejoined  the  army  at  Falmouth. 
Tlie  great  and  disastrous  battle  of  Fredericksburg  waa 
approaching,  and  she  felt  that  there  was  ample  work 
for  her  to  do.  The  Lacy  House,  at  Falmouth,  where 
she  had  her  quarters  at  ftrst,  was  a  mark  ibr  the  enemy's 
lire,  and  more  than  one  sliell  crashed  through  the  house, 
and  passed  her  as  she  was  engaged  in  her  work  of 
mercy,  but  she  was  too  calm  and  fearless  to  be  disturbed 
by  them.  At  the  time  of  the  attack  of  the  11th  of 
December,  she  was  at  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  received 
the  wounded  Union  men,  as  well  as  the  Rebel  wounded 
who  were  brought  over  as  prisoners.  An  incident  which 
occurred  at  this  time  may  serve  to  show  the  spirit  oi 
the  woman.  Among  those  who  were  brought  to  the 
hither  shore  of  the  Rappahannock  was  a  rebel  lieuten- 
ant, mortally  wounded,  a  man  of  culture  and  intelhgence. 
Her  sympathies  and  ministrations  were  bestowed  alike 
upon  friend  and  foe;  that  a  man  was  wounded  and 
suffering  was  ever  a  suflBcient  passport  to  her  kindly 
offices.  Thus  it  happened  that  this  young  rebel  officer 
was  tenderly  cared  for,  and  though  it  was  evident  that 
his  life  could  not  be  prolonged,  his  pains  were  assuaged, 
his  suffering  alleviated,  and  the  passage  into  the  dark 
valley  smoothed  by  her  care  and  attention.  He  waa 
deeply  grateful  for  these  kindnesses  received  from  the 
hands  of  those  whom  he  had  regarded  as  enemies,  and, 
seeing  that  she  was  about  to  cross  the  river  to  Fred- 
ericksburg, where  her  services  were  needed  to  organize 
the  temporary  hospitals  there,  he  beckoned  to  her,  and, 
in  a  voice  broken  by  the  pangs  of  dissolution,  implored 
her  not  to  go  over.     He  unfolded  to  her,  in  gratitude 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,   FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         341 

for  her  kindness,  the   plan  of  the   rebel  commander  to 
draw  the  Union  army  into  a  trap,  by  withholding  his 
fire  till   they  had   all  crossed   the  Rappahannock,  and 
then  ojDcning  upon  them  from  all  his  batteries,  which 
oovpred  every  point  of  their  progress.     lie  assured  her 
that   to  cross  over  was   to  go  to  certain   death,   and 
begged,  that  for  his  sake  and  that  of  the  thousands  of 
wounded  sure  to  need   her  services,  she  would  remain 
on  that  side  of  the  Rappahannock.     Of  course  she  could 
not  reason  with  him,  but  her  mind  was  made  up  that  she 
must  cross  the  river ;  the  soldiers  of  the  Ninth  Army 
Corps,  to  whom  she  had  so  often  ministered,  were  there, 
and  she  could  not  let  them  fall  in  the  fierce  battle  that 
was  impending,  without  being  near  them  to  minister 
relief  and  comfort  to  soul  and  body.     Accordingly  she 
went  over,  and  was  received  with  the  most  cordial  of 
welcomes  by  the   Ninth  Corps,  who  regarded   her  as 
almost  their  guardian  angel.     She   at  once  organized 
hospital   kitchens,  provided   supplies  for  the  wounded, 
and  when  the  wounded  men  were  brought  in,  sought  to 
alleviate  their  sufferings.    While  thus  engaged,  one  day, 
Bome  soldiers  came  to  her  quarters,  bringing  an  elegant 
Axminster  carpet,  whose  great  weight  almost  crushed 
them  to  the  ground.     "  What  is  this  ?"  asked  Miss  Bar- 
ton.    ''A  carpet  we  have  brought  for  your  quarters," 
answered  the  soldiers.    "  Where  did  you  get  it  ?"  asked 
Miss  Barton.     "  Oh  !  we  confiscated  it  !"  the  soldiers 
replied    promptly.      "No!    No!'*    said    Miss   Barton, 
"that   will    never   do.      Government   confiscates,   but 
soldiers,  when  they  take  such  things,  steal !     I  thank 
you  for  the  kind  spirit  which  prompted  you  to  bring  it 
to  ra€,  and  am  very  sorry,  but  you  must  carry  it  back 


342         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

to  tne  house  from  which  you  took  it."     The  soldiers 
pcratched  their  heads,  looked  sheepishly  at  each  other,but 
finally  gathered  up  the  carpet,  and  with  infinite   pains 
tugged  it  back  to  the  house  from  which  they  had  taken  it 
In  the  skilfully  managed  retreat  from  Fredericksburg, 
she  remained  till  the  wounded  were  mostly  across,  and 
then  tripped  across  the  pontoon  bridge  just  before  ita 
removal.     On    the    Falmouth    side    she    established    a 
private  kitchen  and  hospital  for  the  wounded,  and  oc- 
cupied an  old  tent,  while  her  train  was  encamped  round 
her,  performing  the  cooking  in  the  open  air,  though  it 
was  midwinter.    When  the  wounded  from  the  attack  on 
the  rebel  batteries  were  recovered  by  flag  of  truce,  fifty 
of  them  were  brought  to  her  camp  at  night.     They  had 
lain   for   several   days   in   the   cold,    and   were   badly 
wounded,  famished,  and  almost  frozen.     She  had  the 
snow  cleared  away  promptly,  large  fires  built,  and  the 
men  wrapped  in  blankets.     An  old  chimney  was  torn 
down,  the  bricks  heated  in  the  fire,  and  placed  around 
them.     She  prepared  warm  and  palatable  food  and  hot 
toddy  for  them,  and  they  were  allowed  to  partake  of 
both  freely  enough  to  insure  them  a  comfortable  night's 
Bleep,  and  in  the  morning  the  medical  officers  took  them 
in  charge.     Soon  after  General  Hooker  superseded  Gen- 
eral Burnside,  Miss  Barton  went  to  Hilton  Head,  South 
Carolina,  to  be  present  at  the  combined  military  and 
naval  attack  to  be  made  on  Charleston  on  the  7th  of 
April.     That   attack,    it   will    be    remembered,   was   a 
failure,  though  not  accompanied  with  much  loss  of  life. 
Miss  Barton  remained  at  Hilton  Head  for  several  weeks, 
visiting  the  hospitals,  and  caring  for  the  welfare  of  a 
iear  brother,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  army  there ;  but 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         343 

when  General  Gillmore  moved  on  his  expedition  against 
Morris  Island,  she  could  no  longer  remain  away  from 
her  work,  and  accompanied  Llie  expedition.  Pitching 
her  tent  on  the  sand  of  Morris  Island,  and  herself  en- 
gaging in  the  drudgeries  of  the  kitchen,  she  ministered 
to  the  soldiers,  who,  amid  the  burning  heat  of  the 
Southern  sun,  were  besieging  simultaneously  Fort  Sum- 
ter and  Fort  Wagner,  and  awaited  the  fierce  and  bloody 
assaults  which  she  knew  were  coming.  When  Wagner 
was  stormed  and  the  assault  repulsed,  she  went  to  the 
relief  of  the  wounded,  wading  through  the  deep  sand, 
and  putting  the  cool  water  and  the  refreshing  restora- 
tives to  their  parched  lips,  while  she  staunched  their 
bleeding  wounds,  and  brought  life  and  healing  to  those 
that  were  ready  to  perish.  Throughout  that  long,  hot 
summer,  when  all  who  could  fled  to  cooler  climes,  she 
toiled  on.  "  Some  one,"  she  said,  "  must  see  to  these 
poor  wounded  and  fever-stricken  men,  and,  as  others 
could  not  or  would  not,  it  seemed  to  be  her  duty  to  do 
it."  More  than  once  her  health  seemed  about  to  give 
way,  but  she  held  out,  and  did  not  leave  the  island  till 
winter,  when,  she  said,  she  had  become  so  accustomed 
to  the  shriek  of  the  shells  from  Gillmore's  monster  guns, 
that  she  could  not  sleep  at  first,  when  no  longer  lulled 
to  slumber  by  their  music.  In  January,  1864,  she  re- 
turned to  the  North,  and  after  a  brief  visit  to  her  friends 
m  Massachusetts  and  New  York,  returned  to  Washing- 
ton, and  employed  herself  in  preparation  for  the  great 
cami)aign  of  the  summer  of  1864.  Her  great  services 
were  recognized  by  the  Government,  and  she  was  as- 
signed to  a  position  of  usefulness  and  responsibility 
in  conncv^ion  with  the  Army  of  the  James,  in  which. 


344  ARMY    LIFP.    IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

with  the  liberal  supplies  at  her  command,  she  was  able 
to  accomplish  perhaps  as  much  for  the  soldiers'  comfort 
during  this  protracted  campaign  as  in  all  her  previous 
history.  In  January,  1865,  she  was  recalled  to  Wash 
ington  by  the  sickness  and  death  of  a  brother  and 
nephew,  and  did  not  again  join  the  army  in  the  field. 
She  could  not  rest,  however,  while  the  soldiers  were  suf- 
fering, and  after  spending  some  time  at  Annapolis  in  the 
care  of  the  poor  fellows  who  had  suffered  so  cruelly  in 
the  rebel  prisons,  she  returned  to  Washington,  and,  with 
the  sanction  of  President  Lincoln,  commenced  the  work 
of  making  a  systematic  record  of  the  missing  soldiers  of 
the  Union  armies,  and  ascertaining  their  whereabouts, 
condition,  and  fate.  The  organization  of  this  bureau  of 
correspondence  in  relation  to  the  missing  soldiers  required 
records,  and  the  employment  of  six  or  eight  clerks, 
beside  an  infinity  of  labor  on  her  part.  At  the  request 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  she  visited  Andersonville  with 
Captain  James  M.  Moore  and  Dorrence  Atwater,  a  soldier 
who  had  been  a  prisoner  there,  and  superintended  the 
establishment  of  a  cemetery  there,  and  the  erection  of 
headboards  for  the  thirteen  thousand  Union  dead  there, 
the  greater  part  of  them  murdered  by  the  inhumanities 
of  rebel  ofl&cers  and  guards.  In  this  bureau  of  cori'e- 
spondence  and  her  previous  labors  in  behalf  of  the  sol- 
dier. Miss  Barton  had  exhausted  her  own  patrimony  and 
resources,  and  partly  in  payment  for  these  expenditures, 
and  partly  to  enable  her  to  keep  up  her  organization, 
which  was  of  very  great  value  to  Government,  especially 
in  regard  to  pensions,  Congress  made  an  appropriation 
10  her,  in  January,  1866,  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 
To  few  persons,  however  heartily  disposed   they  may 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   UOSPITAL.         345 

have  been  to  undertake  the  work,  has  been  vouchsafed 
BO  firm  a  constitution,  and  such  rare  executive  ability  as 
have  been  granted  to  Miss  Barton  ;  and  these  gifts,  added 
to  a  sound  judgment,  a  clear  head,  and  a  zeal  which 
Dever  flags,  have  enabled  her  to  accomplish  a  vast 
imount  of  good  for  the  army. 

History  will  record  few  examples  of  higher,  more 
earnest,  and  more  continuous  patriotic  endeavor,  than 
those  which  have  graced  the  name  of  this  young  and 
gifted  woman.  To  lior  belongs  pre-eminently,  the  noble 
title,  often  bestowed  ii[)()n  her,  of  "The  Soldier's 
Guardian  Angel." 


Military  Etiquette. — Lieutenant ,  of  the  Third 

Rhode  Island  Heavy  Artillery,  at  one  of  the  posts  in 
the  Department  of  the  South,  while  on  duty  in  a  carriage, 
had    the  kindness  to  favor  a  staff  officer  with  a  ride. 
On  meeting  a  private  of  a  colored  regiment,  who  paid  the 
required    salute,  which   was  properly  returned   by  the 
lieutenant,  the  following  dialogue,  in  substance,  ensued  : 
Staff  Officer. — "  Do  you  salute  niggers?" 
Lieutenant. — "  He  is  a  soldier ;  and  he  saluted  me." 
Staff  Officer. — "  I  swear  that  I  wont  salute  a  nigger.** 
Lieute?iant. — "  The  regulations  require  you  to  return 
#  salute." 

Staff  Officer. — "  Curse  such  regulations ;  I'll  never  sa- 
lute a  nigger ;  and  I  don't  think  much  of  a  man  that  will.** 
Lieutenant — (coolly  reining  in  his  horse.) — "  You  can 
get  out  and  walk,  sir." 

The  official  was  consigned  to  shoe  leather  and  the 
Band,  with  the  reflection,  we  could  hope,  that  he  was 
less  of  a  man  than  a  soldier. 


346         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 


A   HEROINE   AND   MARTYR. 

From  the  anti-revolutionary  period  of  our  country*fl 
history  few  families  have  wielded  a  more  potent  influ- 
ence than  the  Breckinridges.  Intellectually  and  physi- 
cally vigorous,  they  had  never  been  wanting  in  patriots 
ism  until  the  outbreak  of  the  late  Rebellion,  when  a 
scion  of  the  house  on  whom  the  nation  had  showered  its 
honors  far  beyond  his  deserts,  a  man  who  for  four  years 
had  presided  over  its  Senate  and  occupied  the  highest 
position  but  one  in  the  Republic,  took  the  fearful  leap 
into  treason,  and,  after  doing  what  injury  he  could  to 
the  nation  to  which  he  owed  so  much  in  the  Senate 
chamber,  completed  his  infamy  by  entering  the  army 
of  the  rebels,  where  he  soon  became  a  major-general, 
though  without  achieving  any  considerable  success. 
Like  Lucifer  of  old  he  drew  downward  with  him  the 
third  part  of  his  family,  and  led  them  with  him  into  the 
mire  of  rebellion  ;  but  the  old  Spartan  spirit  yet  remained 
in  the  family,  bred  by  a  mother  who,  in  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  sent  her  sons  forth  to  fight  for  their  country 
with  the  injunction,  "  Come  back  to  me  Hving  or  dead, 
as  God  may  will  it,  but  never  with  a  wound  in  your 
acks !" 
There  were  a  considerable  number  of  clergymen  in 
the  different  generations  of  the  family,  and  for  the 
most  part  they  belonged  to  the  church  militant;  men  of 
great  logical  power,  and  loving  dearly  to  fight  a  giant 
wrong.  Among  these  was  the  presei  t  patriarch  of  the 
family,  Rev.  Robert   J.  Breckinridge,  who,   during  the 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,   AXD    HOSPITAL.  347 

war.  with  all  the  energy  and  ability  of  his  great  Intel 
lect,  has  fought  against  secession  and  rebellion.  Such 
a  spirit,  too,  were  many  of  his  kinsmen — sucl.  would 
have  been  his  brother,  Rev.  John  Breckinridge,  had  he 
lived  to  see  the  day  of  trial,  and  such  was  the  spirit  of 
the  children  of  that  eminent  departed  minister.  One 
of  these,  Judge  Samuel  Breckinridge,  of  St.  Louis,  has 
been  one  of  the  most  earnest  Union  men  of  that  region  ;  a 
man  who  has  striven  earnestly  to  undo,  so  far  as  lay  in  his 
power,  the  wrongs  which  his  cousin,  John  C.  Breckin- 
ridge, has  done  to  his  country. 

But  among  all  the  members  of  the  family  there  was 
none  who  combined  more  perfectly  the  characteristics 
of  the  heroine,  the  saint,  and  the  martyr,  than  the  sister 
of  the  judge.  Miss  Margaret  E.  Breckinridge.  She  was 
highly  educated,  and  gifted  beyond  most  of  her  sex  with 
intellectual  ability,  of  fragile  form,  but  attractive  in  per- 
son and  manner,  and  possessing  a  soul  all  aflame  with 
the  holiest  patriotism,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the  most 
angelic  purity.  Her  love  of  her  country  and  of  its 
cause  knew  no  limits,  for  it  she  was  willing  to  sacrifice 
her  property,  her  health,  her  life  itself;  and  she  counted 
no  sacrifice  dear  which  should  enable  her  to  fulfil  the  duty 
whach  she  felt  she  owed  to  its  gallant  defenders.  From 
the  first  she  had  wielded  her  eloquent  pen  in  its  be- 
half, and  early  in  the  spring  of  1862,  she  determined 
to  consecrate  herself  to  the  work  of  caring  specially 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  Her  first  experi- 
ences of  hospital  life  were  in  the  Baltimore  hospitals, 
where  she  contracted  the  measles,  and  was  sick  for 
some  time.  Thence  she  went  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  when 
it  was  in  the  possession  of  the  rsbel  General  E.  Kirby 


348         AUMT   LIFE   IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

Smith.  Her  loyalty  blazed  out  even  while  under  the 
8way  of  the  rebels.  Thence  she  went  to  St.  Louis, 
where,  afler  some  time  spent  in  the  hospitals,  she  pro- 
ceeded down  the  river  in  a  hospital  steamer  to  bring 
up  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  from  Vicksburg  and 
other  points.  After  two  of  these  trips,  in  which  she 
went  beyond  her  strength  in  her  zeal  for  the  poor  stif- 
fering  soldiers,  she  returned  to  St.  Louis,  to  endeavor 
to  recover  her  health,  sadly  impaired  by  her  labors, 
and  would  visit  the  hospitals  every  day.  In  March, 
1864,  she  went  eastward  to  her  friends,  in  hope  of  re- 
covering so  far  as  possible,  that  she  might  again  serve 
her  country,  or  as  she  expressed  it,  in  her  communica- 
tion to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  "  Do  a  little  to  atone 
for  the  great  evils  which  some  of  her  kinsmen  had  in- 
flicted upon  her  beloved  country."  Here,  after  some 
rest,  she  went  into  the  Episcopal  Hospital,  Philadel- 
phia, and  took  lessons  from  the  surgeons  in  the  dress- 
ing of  wounds  and  the  medical  care  of  the  wounded,  les 
sons  which  she  hoped  to  be  able  to  make  serviceable  on 
the  field,  but  it  was  not  so  to  be.  Her  brother-in-law, 
Colonel  Peter  A.  Porter,  of  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y.,  had 
fallen  in  one  of  the  fierce  battles  of  that  terrible  cam- 
paign from  the  Rapidan  to  the  James,  and  frail  and  ill 
as  she  was,  her  friends  feared  to  communicate  the  sad 
event  to  her.  At  last  they  were  obliged  to  let  her 
know  it,  and  she  went  at  once  to  meet  the  family,  who 
had  come  on  to  receive  the  body  of  the  dead  hero.  She 
returned  with  them  to  Niagara,  where,  after  an  illness 
of  five  weeks,  she  fell  ashep,  whispering  to  a  friend 
in  her  last  conscious  moir  ints,  "  Underneath  are  the 
everlasting  arms." 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         349 

No  memoir  can  do  justice  to  the  noble  and  patriotic 
spirit  which  so  vivified  and  glorified  every  act  of  this 
young  and  gifted  woman,  but  a  few  incidents,  gathered 
by  friends  or  culled  from  her  letters,  of  her  experience! 
in  hospital  life,  may  be  of  interest  to  our  readers.  Of 
her  zeal  for  her  country's  cause  and  defenders,  even 
when  surrounded  by  its  enemies,  some  idea  can  be 
formed  from  the  following  incident  related  in  a  letter  to 
a  friend : 

"At  that  very  time,  a  train  of  ambulances,  bringing 
our  sick  and  wounded  from  Richmond,  was  leaving 
town  on  its  way  to  Cincinnati.  It  was  a  sight  to  stir 
every  loyal  heart ;  and  so  the  Union  people  thronged 
»-ound  them  to  cheer  them  up  with  pleasant,  hopeful 
words,  to  bid  them  God  speed,  and  last,  but  not  least, 
to  fill  their  haversacks  and  canteens.  We  went,  think- 
ing it  possible  we  might  be  ordered  ofi*  by  the  guard, 
hut  they  only  stood  off,  scowling  and  wondering. 

"'Good-by,'  said  the  poor  fellows  from  the  ambu- 
lances. *  We're  coming  back  as  soon  as  ever  we  gel 
well.' 

"  *  Yes,  yes,*  we  whispered,  for  there  were  spies  all 
around  us,  *and  every  one  of  you  bring  a  regimeni 
with  you.' " 

When  she  first  began  to  visit  the  hospitals  in  and 
around  St.  Louis,  she  wrote :  "  I  shall  never  be  satisfied 
until  I  get  right  into  a  hospital,  to  live  till  the  war  ia 
over.  If  you  are  constantly  with  the  men,  you  have 
hundreds  of  opportunities  and  moments  of  influence  in. 
which  you  can  get  their  attention  and  their  hearts,  and 
do  more  good  than  in  any  missionary  field." 

Once,  on  board  a   steamer,  near  Vicksburg,  during 


o50         ARMY   LIFE   IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

the  fearful  winter  siege  of  that  city,  some  one  said  to  her : 
"You  must  hold  back,  you  are  going  beyond  your 
strength,  you  will  die  if  you  are  not  more  prudent." 

"  Well,"  said  she,  with  thrilling  emphasis,  "  what  if 
1  do  ?  Shall  men  come  here  by  tens  of  thousands  and 
fight,  and  suffer,  and  die,  and  shall  not  some  women  be 
willing  to  die  to  sustain  and  succor  them  ?" 

A  friend,  who  had  been  associated  with  her  in  her 
work  of  love,  speaks  of  her  thus :  "  With  her  slight 
form,  her  bright  face,  and  her  musical  voice,  she  seemed 
a  ministering  angel  to  the  sick  and  suffering  soldiers, 
while  her  sweet,  womanly  purity,  and  her  tender  devo- 
tion to  their  wants,  made  her  almost  an  object  of  worship 
among  them.  ^Aint  she  an  angel?'  said  a  grayheaded 
soldier,  as  he  watched  her  one  morning,  while  busily  get- 
ting breakfast  for  the  boys  on  the  steamer  '  City  of 
Alton.'  '  She  never  seems  to  tire,  she  is  always  smiling, 
and  doii't  seem  to  walk.  She  flies  all  but — God  bless 
her  !*  Another,  a  soldier  boy  of  seventeen,  said  to  her, 
as  she  was  smoothing  his  hair,  and  saying  cheering 
words  about  mother  and  home  to  him,  'Ma'am,  where 
do  you  come  from  ?  How  could  such  a  lady  as  you  are 
come  down  here  to  take  care  of  us  poor,  sick,  dirty 
boys  ?'  She  answered  :  '  I  consider  it  an  honor  to  wait 
on  you,  and  wash  off  the  mud  you've  waded  through  for 
me.'  Another  asked  this  favor  of  her :  '  Lady,  please 
write  down  your  name,  and  let  me  look  at  it,  and  take 
it  home  to  show  my  wife  who  wrote  my  letters,  and 
combed  my  hair,  and  fed  me.  I  don't  believe  you  are 
like  other  people.' " 

In  one  of  her  letters,  she  says :  "  I  am  often  touched 
with  their  anxiety  not  *^o  give  trouble,  not  to  bother^  as 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  351 

the}-  Fay.  Tliat  same  evening  I  found  a  poor,  ex- 
hausted fellow  lying  on  a  stretcher,  on  which  he  had 
just  been  brought  in.  There  was  no  bed  for  him  just 
then,  and  he  looked  uncomfortable  enough,  with  his 
knapsack  for  a  pillow.  '  I  know  some  hot  tea  will  do 
you  good,'  I  said.  '  Yes,  ma'am,'  he  answered,  *  but  I 
am  too  weak  to  sit  up  with  nothing  to  lean  against ;  it's 
no  matter — don't  bother  about  me;*  but  his  eyes  were 
fixed  longingly  on  the  smoking  tea.  Everybody  was 
busy,  not  even  a  nurse  in  sight,  but  the  poor  man  must 
huve  his  tea.  I  pushed  away  the  knapsack,  raised  his 
head,  and  seated  myself  on  the  end  of  the  stretcher, 
and,  as  I  drew  his  poor  tired  head  back  upon  my 
shoulder,  half  holding  him,  he  seemed,  with  all  his 
pleasure  and  eager  enjoyment  of  the  tea,  to  be  troubled 
at  my  being  so  bothered  with  him.  He  forgot  I  had 
come  so  many  hundred  miles  on  purpose  to  he 
*  bothered.'" 

Early  in  January  of  '63,  Miss  Breckinridge  de- 
scended the  Mississippi  to  Vicksburg,  for  the  purpose  of 
attending  to  the  sick  and  wounded  there,  and  rendering 
aid  in  bringing  them  up  to  St.  Louis.  It  was  a  trip  at- 
tended with  great  peril,  because  of  the  guerillas  lying 
in  ambush,  and  the  bands  of  rebels  ever  on  the  watch 
for  the  steamers  and  transports  as  they  passed,  but  her 
mission  was  too  important  to  allow  herself  to  dwell 
upon  danger.  She  reached  her  destination  in  safety^ 
and  returned  to  St.  Louis  on  a  small  hospital  boat,  on 
which  there  were  one  hundred  and  sixty  patients  in 
care  of  herself  and  one  other  lady.  A  few  extracts  from 
5ne  of  her  letters  will  show  what  brave  work  it  gave 
her  to  do  :  "It  -w  as  on  Sunday  morning,  25th  of  January, 


352         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

that  Mrs.  C.  and  I  went  on  board  the  hospital  boat 
which  had  received  its  sad  freight  the  day  before,  and 
was  to  leave  at  once  for  St.  Louis,  and  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  describe  the  scene  which  presented  itself  to 
me  as  I  stood  in  the  door  of  the  cabin.  Lying  on  the 
floor,  with  nothing  under  them  but  a  tarpaulin  and 
their  blankets,  were  crowded  fifty  men,  many  of  them 
with  death  written  on  their  faces ;  and  looking  through 
the  half  open  doors  of  the  state-rooms,  we  saw  that  they 
contained  as  many  more.  Young,  boyish  faces,  old  and 
thin  from  suffering,  great,  restless  eyes  that  were  fixed 
on  nothing,  incoherent  ravings  of  those  who  were  wild 
with  fever,  and  hollow  coughs  on  every  side;  this,  and 
much  more  that  I  do  not  want  to  recall,  was  our  welcome 
to  our  new  work ;  but,  as  we  passed  between  the  two 
long  rows,  back  to  our  cabin,  pleasant  smiles  came  to 
the  lips  of  some,  others  looked  after  us  wonderingly, 
and  one  poor  boy  whispered,  '  Oh,  but  it  is  good  to  see 
the  ladies  come  in !'  I  took  one  long  look  into  Mrs. 
C.'s  eyes,  to  see  how  much  strength  and  courage  was 
hidden  in  them.  We  asked  each  other,  not  in  words, 
but  in  those  fine  electric  thrills  by  which  one  soul  ques- 
tions another,  ^Can  we  bring  strength  and  hope  and 
comfort  to  these  poor,  sufiering  men  ?'  and  the  answer 
was,  '  Yes,  by  God's  help,  we  will.'  The  first  thing  was 
to  give  them  something  like  a  comfortable  bed,  and, 
Sunday  though  it  was,  we  went  to  work  to  run  up  our 
sheets  into  bed  sacks.  Every  man  that  had  strength 
enough  to  stagger  was  pressed  into  the  service,  and  by 
night  most  of  them  had  something  softer  than  a  tarpau- 
lin to  sleep  on.  'Oh,  I  am  so  comfortable  now!'  some 
of  them  said ;  '  1  thii  k  I  can  sleep  to-night,'  exclaimed 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMl',  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         353 

one  little  fellow,  half  laughing  with  pleasure.  TV  t  next 
thing  was  to  provide  something  that  sick  people  could 
eat,  for  coffee  and  bread  was  poor  food  for  most  cf  chem. 
We  had  two  little  stoves,  one  in  the  cabin  ai  J  one  in 
the  chambermaid's  room,  and  here,  the  whoh  time  we 
were  on  board,  we  had  to  do  the  cooking  for  a  hundred 
men.  Twenty  times  that  day  I  fully  madd  up  my 
mind  to  ny  with  vexation,  and  twenty  times  that  day  I 
laughed  instead ;  and  surely,  a  kettle  of  tea  was  never 
made  under  so  many  difficulties  as  the  one  ]  made  that 
morning.  The  kettle  lid  was  not  be  found,  the  water 
simmered  and  sang  at  its  leisure,  and  when  I  asked  for 
the  poker,  I  could  get  nothing  but  an  old  bayonet,  and, 
all  the  time  through  the  ^lalf  open  door  behind  me,  I 
heard  the  poor,  hungry  fellows  asking  the  nurses, 
*  "Where  is  that  tea  the  lady  promised  me  ?'  or '  When 
will  my  toast  come  ?'  But  there  must  be  an  end  to  all 
things,  and  when  I  carried  them  their  tea  and  toast,  and 
heard  them  pronounce  it  •'  plaguey  good,'  and  '  awful 
nice,'  it  was  more  than  a  recompense  for  all  the  worry. 

"  One  great  trouble  was  the  intense  cold.  We  could 
not  keep  life  in  some  of  the  poor,  emaciated  frames. 
'Oh,  dear!  I  shall  freeze  to  death!'  one  poor  little 
fellow  groaned,  as  I  passed  him.  Blankets  seemed  to 
have  no  effect  upon  them,  and  at  last  we  had  to  keep 
canteens  filled  with  boiling  water  at  their  feet. 

"  There  was  one  poor  boy  about  whom  from  the  first 
I  had  been  very  anxious.  He  drooped  and  faded  from 
day  to  day  before  my  eyes.  Nothing  but  constant 
stimulants  seemed  to  keep  him  alive,  and  at  last  I 
summoned  courage  to  tell  him — oh,  how  hard  it  was  !-  - 
that  he  could  not  live  many  hours.     *Are  you  willin'^ 

23 


554         ARMY    LIFE    IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

to  die  ?'  T  asked  him.  He  closed  his  eyes  and  was 
silent  a  moment ;  then  came  that  passionate  exclama- 
tion  which  I  have  heard  so  often — '  My  mother !  Oh, 
my  mother !'  And  to  the  last,  though  I  believe  God 
gave  him  strength  to  trust  in  Christ,  and  willingness  to 
die,  he  longed  for  his  mother.  I  had  to  leave  him,  and, 
not  long  after,  he  sent  for  me  to  come,  that  he  was 
dying,  and  wanted  me  to  sing  to  him.  He  prayed  for 
himself  in  the  most  touching  words ;  he  confessed  that 
he  had  been  a  wicked  boy,  and  then,  with  one  last 
message  for  that  dear  mother,  turned  his  face  to  the 
pillow,  and  died.  And  so,  one  by  one,  we  saw  them 
pass  away,  and  all  the  little  keepsakes  and  treasures 
they  had  loved  and  kept  about  them,  laid  away  to  be 
sent  home  to  those  they  should  never  see  again.  Oh, 
it  was  heart-breaking  to  see  that !" 

After  the  "sad  freight"  had  reached  its  destination, 
and  the  care  and  responsibility  are  over,  true  woman 
that  she  is,  she  breaks  down,  and  cries  over  it  all,  but 
brightens  up,  and  looking  back  upon  it,  declares :  "I 
certainly  never  had  so  much  comfort  and  satisfaction  in 
any  thing  in  all  my  life,  and  the  tearful  thanks  of  those 
who  thought  in  their  gratitude  that  they  owed  a  great 
deal  more  to  us  than  they  did,  the  blessings  breathed 
from  dying  lips,  and  the  comfort  it  has  been  to  friends 
at  tome  to  hear  all  about  the  last  sad  hours  of  those 
they  love,  and  know  their  dying  messages,  all  this  is  a 
nch  and  full  and  overflowing  reward  for  any  labor  and 
for  any  sacrifice."  And  again,  she  says,  "There  is  a 
soldier's  song  of  which  they  are  very  fond,  one  verse  of 
which  often  comes  back  to  me  : 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMl".  FIKLD,  AND    HOSPITAL.  355 

"  'So  I've  had  a  sight  of  drilling, 
And  I've  roughed  it  many  days; 
Yes,  and  death  has  nearly  had  me, 
Yet  I  think  the  service  pays.' 

**  Indeed  it  does — richly,  abundantly,  blessedly,  and 
I  thank  God  that  he  has  honored  me  by  letting  rae  do 
a  little  and  suffer  a  little  for  this  grand  old  Union,  and 
the  dear,  brave  fellows  who  are  fighting  for  it." 

Early  in  June,  1864,  Miss  Breckinridge  reached 
Niagara  on  her  way  to  the  East,  where  she  remained 
for  a  month.  For  a  year  she  had  struggled  against 
disease  and  weakness,  longing  all  the  time  to  be  at  work 
again,  making  vain  plans  for  the  time  when  she  should 
"be  well  and  strong,  and  able  to  go  back  to  the 
hospitals.'  With  this  cherished  scheme  in  view,  she 
went,  in  the  early  part  of  May,  1864,  into  the  Epis- 
copal Hospital,  Philadelphia,  that  she  might  acquire 
experience  in  nursing,  especially  in  surgical  :ases,  so 
that  in  the  autumn  she  could  begin  the  labor  of  love 
among  the  soldiers  more  efficiently  and  confidently  than 
before.  She  went  to  work  with  her  usual  energy  and 
promptness,  following  the  surgical  nurses  every  day 
through  the  wards,  learning  the  best  methods  of  baud- 
aging  and  treating  the  various  wounds.  She  was  not 
satisfied  with  merely  seeing  this  done,  but  often  washed 
and  dressed  the  wounds  with  her  own  hands,  saying 
"  I  shall  be  able  to  do  this  for  the  soldiers  when  I  get 
back  to  the  army."  The  patients  could  not  understand 
this,  and  would  often  expostulate,  saying,  "Oh,  no, 
miss,  that  is  not  for  the  like  of  you  to  do !"  but  she 
would  playfully  insist,  and  have  her  way.  Nor  was 
she  satisfied  to  gain  so  much  without  giving  something 


350         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    IIOSI'ITAL. 

in  return.  She  went  from  bed  to  bed,  encouraging  the 
desjDondent,  cheering  the  weak  and  miserable,  reading 
to  them  from  her  little  testament,  and  singing  sweet 
hymns  at  twilight — a  ministering  angel  here  as  well  aa 
on  the  hospital  boats  of  the  Mississippi. 


THE  FARMER'S  CONTRIBUTION 

TO   THE   CHIOAQO   SANITARY   FAIR. 

The  Sanitary  Fair  at  Chicago,  in  October  and  Novem- 
her,  1863,  was  the  first  of  the  series  of  great  outpour- 
ings of  the  sympathy  of  the  nation  for  its  brave  de- 
fenders, which  were  held  successively  at  Boston,  Cincin- 
nati, Brooklyn,  New  York,  Pittsburg,  Philadelphia,  and 
St.  Louis,  and  which  yielded  such  abundant  resources 
for  the  Sanitary  Commissions,  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  work  of  mercy.  Rev.  Frederick  N.  Knapp,  one 
of  the  secretaries  of  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  was 
present  at  Chicago,  when,  on  the  first  day  of  the  fair, 
the  long  procession  of  teams,  extending  many  miles, 
came  in  from  the  country  laden  with  provisions  and 
other  articles  for  the  fair,  and  thus  describes  an  incident 
which  came  under  his  notice  : 

Among  these  wagons  which  had  drawn  up  near  the 
rooms  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  to  unload  their  stores, 
was  one  peculiar  for  its  exceeding  look  of  poverty.  It 
was  worn  and  mended,  and  was  originally  made  merely 
of  poles.     It  was  drawn  b^  three  horses  which  had  seen 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,    FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         357 

much  of  life,  but  little  grain.  The  driver  was  a  man 
past  middle  age,  with  the  clothes  and  look  of  one  who 
had  toiled  hard,  but  he  had  a  thoughtful  and  kindly 
face.  He  sat  there  quietly  waiting  his  turn  to  unload. 
By  his  side,  with  feet  over  the  front  of  the  wagon,  for 
it  was  filled  very  full,  was  his  wife,  a  silent,  worn-look- 
mg  woman  {many  of  these  men  had  their  wives  with 
them  on  the  loads) ;  near  the  rearof  the  wagon  was  a  girl 
of  fifteen,  perhaps,  and  her  sister,  dressed  in  black,  car- 
lying  in  her  arms  a  little  child. 

Some  one  said  to  this  man  (after  asking  the  woman 
with  the  child  if  she  would  not  go  into  the  Commission 
rooms  and  get  warm)  :   "My  friend,  you  seem  to  have 
quite  a  load  here  of  vegetables ;   now  I  am  curious  to 
know  what  good  things  you  are  bringing  to  the  soldiers ; 
will  you  tell  me  what  you  have  ?"     "  Yes,"  said  he ; 
"  here  are  potatoes,  and  here  are  three  bags  of  onions, 
and  there  are  some  ruta-bagas,  and  there  are  a  few  tur- 
nips, and  that  is  a  small  bag  of  meal,  and  you  will  see 
the  cabbages  fill  in ;    and  that  box  with  slats  has  some 
ducks  in  it,  which  one  of  them  brought  in."     "Oh I 
then  this  isn't  all  your  load,  alone,  is  it  ?"     "  Why,  no ! 
our  region  just  where  I  live  is  rather  a  hard  soil,  and 
we  haven't  any  of  us  much  to  spare  any  way,  yet  for 
this  business  we  could  have  raked  up  as  much  again  as 
this  is,  if  we  had  had  time  ;  but  we  didn't  get  the  notice 
that  the  wagons  were  going  in  till  last  night  about  eight 
o'clock,  and  it  was  dark  and  raining  at  that,  so  I  and 
my  wife  and  the  girls  could  only  go  around  to  five  or 
Bix  of  the  neighbors  within  a  mile  or  so,  but  we  did  the 
best  we  could;   we  worked  pretty  much  all  the  night, 
and  loaded,  so  as  t ^  De  ready  to  get  out  to  the  main 


858         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITA*.. 

road  and  star:  with  the  rest  of  them  this  morning ;  but 
I  can't  help  it  if  it  is  little,  it's  something  for  those  sol- 
diers." "Have  you  a  son  in  the  army?"  "No,"  he 
answered,  slowly,  after  turning  around  and  looking  at 
his  wife.  "  No,  I  haven't  /ioio,but  we  had  one  there  once; 
he's  bulled  down  by  Stone  River ;  he  was  shot  there — 
and  that  isn't  just  so  either — we  called  him  our  boy, 
but  he  was  only  our  adopted  son ;  we  took  him  when  he 
was  little,  so  he  was  just  the  same  as  our  own  boy,  and 
(pointing  over  his  shoulder  without  looking  back)  that's 
his  wife  there  with  the  baby !  But  I  shouldn't  bring 
these  things  any  quicker  if  he  were  alive  now  and  in  the 
army ;  I  don't  know  that  I  should  think  so  much  as  I 
do  now  about  the  boys  away  off  there."  It  was  in  turn 
for  his  wagon  to  unload,  so  with  his  rough  freight  of 
produce,  and  his  rich  freight  of  human  hearts  with  their 
deep  and  treasured  griefs,  he  drove  on — one  wagon  of  a 
hundred  in  the  train. 


A  Romantic  Incident  of  the  Wak, — Governor  Cur- 
tin,  of  Pennsylvania,  was  called  upon  at  the  Continental 
Hotel  at  Philadelphia,  by  a  young  lady.  When  she  was 
introduced  into  the  parlor  she  expressed  her  great  joy  at 
Beeing  the  governor,  at  the  same  time  imprinting  a  kiss 
upon  his  forehead. 

"  Madam,"  said  he,  "to  what  am  I  indebted  for  thi? 
unexpected  salutation  ?" 

"  Sir,  do  you  not  know  me  ?" 

"  Take  a  chair,"  said  the  governor,  at  the  same  time 
extx^nding  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  parlor. 


ARMY   LirE   IN   CA\rP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         359 

"  Shortly  after  the  battle  of  Antietam  you  were  upon 
that  bloody  field,"  said  she  to  the  governor. 

"  I  was,"  replied  the  governor. 

"  You  administered  to  the  wants  of  the  wounded  and 
tlie  dying." 

"  It  was  my  duty  as  a  feeling  man." 

"  You  did  your  duty  well.  Heaven  alone  will  reward 
you,  sir,  for  in  this  life  there  is  no  reward  adequately 
expressive  of  the  merit  due  you.  You,  sir,  imparted 
consolation  and  revived  the  hopes  of  a  dying  soldier  of 
the  Twenty-eighth  Ohio.  He  was  badly  wounded  in 
the  arm ;  you  lifted  him  into  an  ambulance,  and,  the 
blood  dripping  from  him,  stained  your  hands  and  your 
clothing.  That  soldier  was  as  dear  to  me  as  life 
itself" 

"A  husband  ?"  said  the  governor. 

<*No,  sir." 

"A  father?" 

"  No,  sir." 

*'A  lover?" 

"  No,  sir." 

*  Tf  not  a  husband,  father,  brother,  son,  or  lover,  who, 
then,  could  it  be  ?"  said  the  governor,  at  length  breaking 
the  silence,  "  this  is  an  enigma  to  me.  Please  explain 
more  about  the  gallant  soldier  of  Ohio." 

"  Well,  sir,  that  soldier  gave  you  a  ring* — C.  E.  D. 
were  the  letters  engraved  upon  the  interior.  That  is 
the  ring  now  upon  your  little  finger.  He  told  you  to 
wear  it,  and  carefully  have  you  done  so." 

The  governor  pulled  the  ring  off,  and  sure  enough  the 
l*»tters  were  there. 

"  The  finger  that  used  to  wear  that  ring  will  never 


•CO  ARMr    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

wear  it  any  more.  The  hand  is  dead,  but  the  soldier 
etill  lives." 

The  governor  was  now  more  interested  than  ever. 

"  Well,  madam,"  said  he,  "  tell  me  all  about  it.  la 
this  ring  yours?  Was  it  given  to  you  by  a  soldier 
whom  you  loved  ?" 

"  I  loved  him  as  I  love  my  life  ;  but  he  never  returned 
that  love.  He  had  more  love  for  his  country  than  for 
me ;  I  honor  him  for  it.  The  soldier  who  placed  that 
little  ring  upon  your  finger  stands  before  you." 

So  saying,  the  strange  lady  rose  from  her  chair,  and 
stood  before  the  governor. 

The  scene  that  now  ensued  we  leave  to  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  reader.  A  happy  hour  passed.  The  girl 
who  had  thus  introduced  herself  was  Catherine  E.  David- 
son, of  Sheffield,  Ohio.  She  was  engaged  to  be  married, 
but  her  future  husband  responded  to  the  call  of  the 
President,  and  she  followed  him  by  joining  another 
regiment.  He  was  killed  in  the  same  battle  where  she 
fell  wounded.  She  is  alone  in  the  world,  her  father  and 
mother  having  departed  this  life  years  ago.  She  was 
the  soldier  of  the  Twenty-eighth  Ohio  who  had  placed 
the  ring  upon  the  finger  of  Governor  Curtin,  for  the  kind 
attention  given  her  upon  the  bloody  field  of  Antietam. 


Unacceptable  Gratitude. — Lieutenant  J n,  lat« 

»f  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  was  a  few  days  ago  walking 
down  Main  street,  when  he  was  accosted  by  a  fellow, 
half  soldier,  half  beggar,  with  a  most  reverential  mOi- 
tAr)  salute : 


ARMY   UFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         361 

"God  bless  your  honor,"  said  the  man,  whose  accent 
betrayed  him  to  be  Irish,  "and  long  life  to  you." 

"How  do  you  know  me  ?"  said  the  lieutenant. 

"Is  it  how  do  I  know  your  honor?"  responded  Pat. 
"Good  right,  sure,  I  have  to  know  the  man  that  saved 
my  life  in  battle." 

The  lieutenant,  highly  gratified  at  this  tribute  to  hia 
valor,  slid  a  fifty  cent  piece  into  his  hand,  and  asked 
him,  when  ? 

"God  bless  your  honor  and  long  life  to  you,"  said  the 
grateful  veteran.  "  Sure  it  was  Antietam,  when  seeing 
your  honor  run  away  as  fast  as  your  legs  would  carry 
you  from  the  rebels,  I  followed  your  lead,  and  ran  after 
you  out  of  the  way ;  whereby,  under  God,  I  saved  my 
life.  Oh  !  good  luck  to  your  honor,  I  never  will  forget 
it  to  you." 


A  CORRESPONDENT  with  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
narrates  the  following  incident : 

A  certain  wealthy  old  planter,  who  used  to  govern  a 
precinct  in  Alabama,  in  a  recent  skirmish  was  taken 
prisoner,  and  at  a  late  hour  brought  into  camp,  where  a 
guard  was  placed  over  him.  The  aristocratic  rebel  sup- 
posing  every  thing  was  all  right — that  he  was  secure 
enough  any  way  as  a  prisoner  of  war — as  a  committee 
of  the  whole,  resolved  himself  into  "  sleep's  dead  slum- 
ber." Awaking  about  midnight,  to  find  the  moon 
shining  full  into  his  face,  he  chanced  to  "  inspect  the 
guard,"  when,  liorror  of  horrors,  that  soldier  was  a 
negro  I     And,  worse   than  all,  he   recognized   in    that 


302         ARMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIEf.D,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

towering  form,  slowly  and  steadily  walking  a  beat,  om 
of  his  own  slaves  1 

Human  nature  could  not  stand  that ;  the  prisoner  waa 
enraged,  furious,  and  swore  he  would  not.  Addressing 
the  guard,  through  clenched  teeth,  foaming  at  the  mouth, 
he  yelled  out : 

"  Sambo !" 

"  Well,  raassa." 

"  Send  for  the  colonel  to  come  here  immediately.  My 
own  slave  can  never  stand  guard  over  me.  It's  a  d— d 
outrage ;  no  gentleman  would  submit  to  it." 

Laughing  in  his  sleeve,  the  dark-faced  soldier  promptly 
called  out,  "  Corp'l  de  guard  !" 

That  dignity  appeared,  and  presently  the  colonel  fol- 
lowed. 

After  listening  to  the  Southerner's  impassioned  ha- 
rangue,  which  was  full  of  invectives,  the  colonel  turned 
to  the  negro  with  : 

"Sam!" 

"Yes,  colonel." 

"  You  know  this  gentleman,  do  you  ?" 

"  Ob  course  j  he's  Massa  B.,  and  has  a  big  plantation 
in'Alabam'." 

"Well,  Sam,  just  take  care  of  him  to-night,**  and 
the  officer  walked  away. 

As  the  sentinel  again  paced  his  beat,  the  gentleman 
from  Alabama  appealed  to  him  in  an  argument. 

"  Listen,  Sambo !" 

"You  hush  dar;  I's  done  gone  talkin' to  you  now. 
Hush,  rebel !"  was  the  negro's  emphatic  command,  bring- 
ing down  his  musket  to  a  cl  arge  bayonet  position,  by 
way  of  enforcing  silence. 


AKMT    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD.  AND    HOSPITAL.         S65 


THE  VICKSBURQ  SCOW. 

A    BALLAD. 

Brave  Porter  deals  in  hard,  dry  pokes, 
He's  also  good  at  a  clever  hoax ; 
Of  all  his  deeds,  in  fight  or  fun. 
That  queer  old  scow  is  "  Number  One." 

Abandoned  by  the  river's  marge, 
She  had  served  her  time  as  coaling  barge ; 
Of  refuse  planks  he  shaped  her  roof 
Like  iron-clads,  quite  cannon-proof. 

Pork  barrels  old,  with  ne'er  a  head, 
As  twin  stacks  rose,  in  chimnies'  stead; 
These  vomited,  to  aid  the  joke. 
From  hearths  of  mud,  a  dreadful  smoke. 

In  place  of  turret,  on  this  raft, 
(Oh,  was  not  she  the  drollest  craft !) 
He  rigged,  from  some  plantation  stript, 
A  small  outbuilding,  nondescript. 

Two  guns  of  log,  of  frightful  size, 
Frowned  from  her  ports  in  grisly  guise ; 
To  fit  this  monster  of  the  stream 
To  scare  the  rebels'  guilty  dream. 

The  moon  was  neither  bright  nor  dim, 
When  Porter  loosed  this  flat  boat  trim, 
And  let  her  drift,  her  course  to  steer, 
With  pilot  none,  nor  engineer. 

On  Mississippi's  eastern  side. 
The  sentries  soon  her  coming  spied, 
They  raised  alarm  at  dead  of  night — 
All  Yicksburg  waked  in  deadly  fright. 


364         ARMY    LIFE    TN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    IIOSriTAL, 

Drumm2rs  and  generals,  boy  and  man, 

And  gunners  too,  to  quarters  ran  ; 

Oh,  how  they  feared  the  awful  ark 

That  loomed  so  large  through  midnight  dark  I 

As  fast  as  she  in  range  drew  near, 
Their  batteries  roared  with  rage  and  fear ; 
Brimful  when  she  began  to  float. 
No  balls  could  sink  this  mystic  boat. 

They  marvelled  much  she  did  not  sink ; 
"  She's  shot-proof,  sure  !"  the  rebels  think ; 
Who  ever  heard  of  Yankee  trick 
That  worked  than  this  more  'cute  and  slick  t 

The  Butternuts  waste  shell  and  shot, 
Their  cannonade  gets  loud  and  hot. 
They  burn  their  powder,  burst  their  guns, 
And  shake  the  shores  with  deafening  stuna. 

Louder  than  powdt.,  on  our  side, 
Our  soldiers  laughed  until  they  cried ; 
Some  held  their  ribs,  some  rolled  on  grass, 
To  tnlnk  Secesh  was  such  an  ass. 

Noi  was  this  din  of  laugh  and  gun, 
The  choicest  part  of  Porter's  fun. 
The  Queen  of  the  West,  that  captive  ram, 
Eacaped  by  flight  a  dreaded  jam. 

Away  she  went,  we  know  not  where  I 
But  hers  was  not  the  biggest  scare, — 
For  down  the  stream,  their  valued  prey, 
The  captured  Indianola  lay. 

They  thought  to  fit  this  costly  prize, 
To  run  and  "  blast  the  Yankees'  eyes ;" 
But  blew  her  up,  as  the  scow  drew  near— 
Blew  her  to  shivers,  in  their  fear. 


ABMT   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

And  80  let  all  their  projects  burst 

And  blow  to  atoms  Treason  curst ; 

But  long  live  all  our  jolly  tars, 

The  UNION  too,  with  the  Stripes  and  Stars! 


365 


MISS  MEL  VINA  STEVENS, 

THC   EAST   TENNESSEE   HEBOINK. 

The  position  of  East  Tennessee  during  the  Rebellion 
was  different  from  that   of  any  other  portion  of  the 
Southern  States  except  Western  Texas.     A  majority  of 
its  inhabitants  were  loyal   but  the  rebels  controlled  the 
coimtry  by  their  troops,  and  had  a  sufficient  number  of 
sympathizers  among  the  inhabitants  to  make  the  posi- 
tion  of    the   Union-loving   citizens   perilous.     But    so 
thoroughly  outspoken  and  defiant  was  the  loyalty  of  the 
people  that  it  constantly  found  expression  in  their  acts. 
The  men  capable  of  bearing  arms  were  almost  univer- 
sally enlisted  in  the  Union  army  or  acting  as  scouts  for 
it,  and  the  women,  with  a  heroism  above  all  praise,  let 
slip  no  opportunity  of  benefiting  the  Union  cause.     For 
the  Union  men  who  were  "  lying  out,"  as  it  was  termed, 
f.  e.,  concealing  themselves  by  day  to  avoid  the  ruthless 
conscription,  or  the  murderous  violence  of  the  rebels, 
they  had  always  words  of  cheer  and  acts  of  kindness, 
feeding  them  from  their  own  scanty  supplies,  and  shel- 
tering them  whenever  it  was  safe  to  do  so.     When,  as 
was  the  case  in  the  later  years  of  the  war,  the  Union 
prisoners  who  had  escaped  from  Richmond,  Salisbury, 
Wilmmgton,   Charleston,    Millen,    and     Anderson ville. 


366      ARMY  lh^  in  camp,  field,  and  hospital. 

began  to  find  their  way  over  the  Black  and  Cumberland 
mountain  ranges,  these  faithful  Unionists,  both  men  and 
women,  guided  and  escorted  them,  concealed  them  by 
day  or  night,  and  led  them  by  secret  routes  past  the 
rebel  troops  which  were  hunting  them,  till  they  were 
eafe  within  the  Union  lines.  A  single  guide,  Dan  Ellis, 
brought  through  between  four  and  five  thousand  escaped 
prisoners  in  this  way. 

Among  those  who  assisted  actively  in  this  good  work 
was  the  young  and  beautiful  girl,  long  known  as  "  the 
nameless  heroine,"  whose  services  we  here  record.  She 
was  from  a  loyal  family,  and  avowed  openly  her  earnest 
sympathies  with  the  North,  but  her  youthfulness,  grace, 
and  intelligence,  made  her  so  widely  and  universally 
beloved  and  petted,  that  the  rebel  officers,  many  of 
whom  were  much  fascinated  by  her  beauty  and  pleasing 
manners,  never  suspected  her  of  giving  active  aid  to  the 
escaped  Unionists  or  to  the  Union  army.  Yet  she  had 
obtained  from  them  information  in  regard  to  their  plans 
and  expectations,  of  which  she  made  most  efiectual  use 
for  the  Union  cause.  Night  after  night,  too,  did  she 
escort  the  escaped  prisoners  past  the  most  dangerous 
pomts  of  the  rebel  garrisons  and  outposts,  doing  this 
from  the  age  of  about  fourteen,  at  the  risk  of  her  liberty 
and  life,  from  no  other  motive  than  her  ardent  love  for 
her  country  and  its  cause,  and  in  spite  of  the  flatteries 
and  persuasions  of  the  secessionists,  who  would  gladly 
have  won  a  maiden  so  gifted  and  so  well  educated  to 
their  cause.  The  correspondents  of  the  Tribune  and  the 
Cincinnati  Gazette — Messrs.  Richardson,  Browne,  and 
Davis — were  indebted  tc  her  guidance  for  their  escape 
from  the  rebels. 


ARMY   UFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD.  AND   HOSPITAL.         367 


SOMEBODY'S  DARLING. 

Into  a  ward  of  the  whitewashed  halls, 

Where  the  dead  and  dying  lay, 
Wounded  by  ba3'onets,  sheila,  and  balls, 

Somebody's  Darling  was  borne  one  day- 
Somebody's  Darling,  so  young  and  so  brave, 

Wearing  yet  on  his  pale,  sweet  face. 
Soon  to  be  hid  by  the  dust  of  the  grave, 

The  lingering  light  of  his  boyhood's  graoe. 

Matted  and  damp  ai-e  the  curls  of  gold, 

Kissing  the  snow  of  the  fair  young  brow, 
Pale  are  the  lips  of  delicate  mould — 

Somebody's  Darling  is  dying  now. 
Back  from  his  beautiful  blue-veined  brow. 

Brush  all  the  wandering  waves  of  gold  ; 
Cross  his  hands  on  his  bosom  now — 

Somebody's  Darling  is  still  and  cold. 
> 
Kiss  him  once  for  somebody's  sake. 

Murmur  a  prayer  both  soft  and  low ; 
One  bright  curl  from  its  fair  mates  take — 

They  were  somebody's  pride,  you  know ; 
Somebody's  hand  hath  rested  there — 

Was  it  a  mother's,  soft  and  white  ? 
And  have  the  lips  of  a  sister  fair 

Been  baptized  in  the  waves  of  light  ? 

God  knows  best  I  he  has  somebody's  love : 

Somebody's  heart  enshrined  him  there; 
Somebody  wafted  his  name  above. 

Night  and  morn,  on  the  wings  of  prayer. 
Somebody  wept  when  he  marched  away. 

Looking  so  handsome,  brave,  and  grand; 
Somebod3''s  kiss  on  his  forehead  lay. 

Somebody  clung  to  his  parting  hand. 


368       AiiMv  LIFE  IN'  r\yu\  kikld,  and  hospital. 

Somebod3''8  waiting  and  watching  for  him — 

Yearning  to  hold  him  again  to  her  heart; 
And  there  he  lies  with  his  blue  eyes  dim, 

And  the  smiling,  child-like  lips  apart. 
Tenderly  bury  the  fair  young  dead, 

Pausing  to  drop  on  his  grave  a  tear ; 
Carve  in  the  wooden  slab  at  his  head, 

"  Somebody's  Darling  slumbers  here." 


RALLYING  A  FLYING  BRIGADE. 

When  a  body  of  troops  are  panic-stricken,  and  break 
and  fly  in  confusion,  military  men  agree  in  8a3dng  that 
it  is  almost  an  impossibility  to  rally  them  so  as  to  make 
them  immediately  of  service.  The  next  day,  or  perhaps, 
if  their  panic  occurred  in  the  morning,  on  the  evening 
of  the  same  day,  they  may  have  so  far  recovered  from 
Its  effects,  as  to  be  ready  again  for  a  fight,  and  to  con- 
duct themselves  as  well  as  any  troops  in  the  field.  But 
the  attempt  to  rally  them  when  flying  almost  invari- 
ably proves  a  failure.  They  may  stop  for  a  few 
moments,  but  presently  they  will  be  edging  off  in 
another  direction.  In  the  attack  of  Sherman's  troops 
upon  Fort  Buckner,  in  the  battle  of  Chattanooga,  how- 
ever, an  exception  to  this  general  rule  occurred.  A 
flying  brigade  was  stopped  in  its  flight,  and  turned 
again  and  marched  instantly  upon  the  enemy.  An  eye- 
witness thus  relates  the  incident,  which  has  nc?  parallel 
save  Sheridan's  turning  back  his  flying  men  at  Middle- 
iown: 

It  was  a  partial  repulse,  but  that  momentary  episode 


ARilY   LIFE   IxV    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  369 

of  the  battle  will  reflect  undying  honor  on  the  army  of 
which  those  reiDulsecl  troops  formed  a  part.  I  know  not 
the  cause — the  rebel  artillery  may  have  been  concen- 
trated upon  it,  but  one  brigade  broki  -broke  in  utter 
confusion,  I  thought,  as  I  saw  it,  and  the  men  came 
rushing  down  the  hill.  The  others  still  stood,  and  the 
reinforcements  continued  to  move  forward.  But  the  re- 
treating troops  did  not  fly  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  for  at 
the  moment  they  were  passing  the  reinforcements  an 
oflicer  sprang  foiward  among  them,  seized  the  standard 
of  one  of  the  regiments  and  stuck  it  in  the  ground.  I 
saw  him  wave  his  sword  once  over  his  head,  and  point 
up  the  hill.  I  could  not  hear  his  voice,  but  the  men 
did,  and  as  if  by  magic — which  will  be  forever  a  mys- 
tery to  me — that  routed  column  turned,  turned  in- 
stantly, and  in  a  single  second  was  marching  up  the 
hill,  as  firmly  and  as  strongly  formed  as  that  of  thr 
newly  arrived  troops,  and  apparently  forming  a  part  o{ 
tlrem.  Not  a  man  went  further  than  where  the  rein 
forcements  were  met,  and  there  all  turned  and  re-charged 
as  if  it  were  a  movement  they  had  been  practicing  for 
years. 

And  then  this  whole  line  pushed  forward  a^iiain — cer- 
tainly the  most  wonderful  display  of  human  nature 
under  thorough  discipline  I  have  ever  beheld  or 
imagined.  Both  brigades  had  broken  once ;  yet  now, 
after  half  an  hour's  fight,  they  again  returned  to  the  fight 
by  the  side  of  a  third  leader.  It  is  to  me,  writing  it, 
perfectly  incomprehensible,  and  I  turn  to  my  notes  to 
see  if  my  memory  is  not  at  fault.  But  no — the  wonder- 
ful achievement  is  there  in  black  and  white — the  very 
hour  marked  and  roted. 

24 


870         ABMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 


NIGHT   SCENE    IN   A   HOSPITAL. 

It  was  past  eleven,  and  my  patient  was  slowly  weary- 
ing himself  into  fitful  intervals  of  quietude,  when,  in  one 
of  these  pauses,  a  curious  sound  arrested  my  attention. 
Looking  over  my  shoulder,  I  saw  a  one-legged  phantom 
hopping  nimbly  down  the  room ;  and,  going  to  meet  it, 
recognized  a  certain  Pennsylvania  gentleman,  whose 
wound-fever  had  taken  a  turn  for  the  worse,  and,  de- 
priving him  of  the  few  wits  a  drunken  campaign  had 
left  him,  set  him  literally  tripping  on  the  light,  fantas- 
tic toe  "  toward  home,"  as  he  blandly  informed  me, 
touching  the  military  cap,  which  formed  a  striking  con- 
trast to  the  severe  simplicity  of  the  rest  of  his  decidedly 
undress  uniform.  When  sane,  the  least  movement  pro- 
duced a  roar  of  pain  or  a  volley  of  oaths ;  but  the  depar- 
ture of  reason  seemed  to  have  wrought  an  agreeable 
change  both  in  the  man  and  his  manners ;  for,  balancing 
himself  on  one  leg,  like  a  meditative  stork,  he  plunged 
into  an  animated  discussion  of  the  war,  the  President, 
lager  beer,  and  Enfield  rifles,  regardless  of  any  sugges- 
tions of  mine  as  to  the  propriety  of  returning  to  bed, 
lest  he  be  court-martialed  for  desertion. 

An}^  thing  more  supremely  ridiculous  can  hardly  be 
imagined  than  this  figure,  scantily  draped  in  white,  its 
one  foot  covered  with  a  big  blue  sock,  a  dingy  cap  set 
rakingly  askew  on  its  shaven  head,  and  placid  satisfao- 
lion  beaming  in  its  broad,  red  face,  as  it  flourished  a 
mug  in  one  hand,  an  old  boot  in  the  other,  calling  them 
oanteen  and  knapsa^A'  whi  e  it  skipped  and  fluttered  in 


ARMY    LIFE    IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         371 

the  most  unearthly  fashion.  What  to  do  witli  tlie 
creature  I  didn't  know :  Dan  was  absent,  and  if  I  went 
to  find  him,  the  perambulator  might  festoon  himself  out 
of  the  window,  set  his  toga  on  hrc,  or  do  some  of  hia 
ricighbors  a  mischief.  The  attendant  of  the  room  was 
sleeping  like  a  near  relative  .  of  the  celebrated  Seven, 
and  nothing  short  of  pins  would  rouse  him  ;  for  he  had 
been  out  that  day,  and  whiskey  asserted  its  supremacy 
in  balmy  whiffs.  Still  declaiming,  in  a  fine  flow  of 
eloquence,  the  demented  gentleman  hopped  on,  blind 
and  deaf  to  my  graspings  and  entreaties ;  and  I  was 
about  to  slam  the  door  in  his  face,  and  run  for  help, 
when  a  second  saner  phantom,  ''  all  in  white,"  came  to 
the  rescue,  in  the  likeness  of  a  big  Prussian,  who  spoke 
no  English,  but  divined  the  crisis,  and  put  an  end  to  it, 
by  bundling  the  lively  monoped  into  his  bed,  like  a 
baby,  with  an  authoritative  command  to  "  stay  put," 
which  received  added  weight  from  being  delivered  in  an 
odd  conglomeration  of  French  and  German,  accom- 
panied by  warning  wags  of  a  head  decorated  with  a 
yellow  cotton  nightcap,  rendered  most  imposing  by  a 
tassel  like  a  bell-pull.  Rather  exhausted  by  his  excur- 
sion, the  member  from  Pennsylvania  subsided;  and, 
after  an  irrepressible  laugh  together,  my  Prussian  ally 
and  myself  were  returning  to  our  places,  when  the  echo 
of  a  sob  caused  us  to  glance  along  the  beds.  It  came 
from  one  in  the  corner — such  a  little  bed ! — and  such  a 
tearful  little  face  looked  up  at  us,  as  we  stopped  beside 
it !  The  twelve  years  old  drummer  boy  was  not  sing- 
ing now,  but  sobbing,  with  a  manly  effort  all  the 
while  to  stifle  the  distressful  sounds  that  would  break  out. 
"What  is  it,  Teddy?"  I  asked,  as  he  rubbed  the  tears 


372         ARMY   LIFE   IN"    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

away,  and  checked  himself  in  the  middle  of  a  great  sot 
t-o  answer  plaintively : 

"  I've  got  a  chill,  ma'am,  but  I  aint  cryin'  for  that, 
'cause  I'm  used  to  it.  I  dreamed  Kit  was  here,  and  when 
I  waked  up  he  wasn't,  and  I  couldn't  help  it,  then.*' 

The  boy  came  in  with  the  rest,  and  the  man  who  wa4i 
taken  dead  from  the  ambulance  was  the  Kit  he  mourned. 
Well  he  might ;  for,  when  the  wounded  were  brought 
from  Frederickitburg,  the  child  lay  in  one  of  the  camps 
thereabout,  and  this  good  friend,  though  sorely  hurt 
himself,  would  not  leave  him  to  the  exposure  and 
neglect  of  such  a  time  and  place ;  but,  wrapping  him  in 
his  own  blanket,  carried  him  in  his  arms  to  the  trans- 
port, tended  him  during  the  passage,  and  only  yielded 
up  his  charge  when  Death  met  him  at  the  door  of  the 
hospital,  which  promised  care  and  comfort  for  the  boy. 
For  ten  days,  Teddy  had  shivered  or  burned  with  fever 
and  ague,  pining  the  while  for  Kit,  and  refusing  to  be 
comforted,  because  he  had  not  been  able  to  thank  him 
for  the  generous  protection,  which,  perhaps,  had  cost 
the  giver's  life.  The  vivid  dream  had  wrung  the 
childish  heart  with  a  fresh  pang,  and  when  I  tried  the 
solace  fitted  for  his  years,  the  remorseful  fear  that 
haunted  him  found  vent  in  a  fresh  burst  of  tears,  as  he 
looked  at  the  wasted  hands  I  was  endeavoring  to  warm : 

*'  Oh  !  if  I'd  only  been  as  thin  when  Kit  carried  me 
as  I  am  now,  maybe  he  wouldn't  have  died ;  but  I  was 
heavy,  he  was  hurt  worser  than  we  knew,  and  so  it 
killed  him ;  and  I  didn't  see  him  to  say  good-by." 

This  thought  had  troubled  him  in  secret;  and  my 
assurances  that  his  friend  would  probably  have  died  at 
all  events,  hardly  assuaged  the  bitterness  of  his  regret- 
ful irrief. 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         373 

At  this  juncture,  the  dehrious  man  began  to  shout ; 
ihe   one-legged  rose  up  in  his  bed,  as  if  preparing  for 
another  dart;  Teddy  bewailed  himself  more  piteously 
Ihan  before;  and  if  ever  a  woman  was  at  her  wit's  end, 
that  distracted  female  was  nurse  Periwinkle,  during  the 
space  of  two  or  three  minutes,  as  she  vibrated  between 
the  three  beds,  like  an  agitated  pendulum.     Like  a  most 
opportune  reinforcement,  Dan,  the  handy,  appeared,  and 
devoted  himself  to  the  lively  party,  leaving  me  free  to 
return  to  my  post ;   for  the  Prussian,  with  a  nod  and 
a  smile,  took  the  lad  away  to  his  own  bed,  and  lulled 
him  to  sleep  with  a  soothing  murmur,  like  a  mammoth 
bumble-bee.     I  liked  that  in  Fritz,  and  if  he  ever  won 
dered  afterward  at  the  dainties  which  sometimes  found 
their  way  into  his  rations,  or  the  extra  comforts  of  his 
bed,  he  might  have  found  a  solution  of  the  mystery  in 
sundry  persons'  knowledge  of  the  fatherly  action  of  that 
night. 


HOW  THE  SOLDIERS  "  TOOK  THEIR  EASE  IN 
THEIR  INN." 

The  mad  spirit  of  destructiveness  and  the  love  of 
mischief,  were  often  displayed  in  the  army,  especially 
in  tliat  portion  of  it  under  General  Sherman's  command, 
when  any  position  was  captured  which  had  served  as 
un  abiding  place  or  headquarters  of  the  officers  of  the 
rebel  army.  This  disposition  was  very  vividly  illus- 
trated at  "  Big  Shanty,"  a  station  on  the  route  between 
Chattanooga  and  Atlanta,  in  Sherman's  Atlanta  cam- 


374  ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

paign.     A  correspondent  of  the  Tribune  thus  describes 
the  scene : 

At  Big  Shanty,  on  the  Atlanta  line  of  railroad,  stands 
quite  a  respectable  looking  two-storied  wooden  hotel^ 
which  in  peace  times  was  used  as  the  dinner  station  for 
the  famished  passengers  travelling  from  Chattanooga, 
Tennessee,  to  Atlanta,  Georgia. 

On  Friday,  while  some  of  our  cavalry  were  out  on  a 
reconnoissance,  shelling  the  woods,  one  of  our  shells 
passed  through  a  part  of  the  hotel,  entering  a  large 
sleeping  apartment  containing  some  eight  or  ten  bed- 
steads, and  passing  through  the  bedstead  out  of  the 
south  side  of  the  room,  the  shell  burst  in  the  yard.  At 
this  time,  several  rebel  officers  were  partaking  leisurely 
of  a  sumptuous  dinner,  and,  without  waiting  for  orders, 
they  changed  their  base,  retiring  in  the  wildest  confu- 
sion. Several  ladies  were  in  the  hotel  at  the  time  this 
unruly  "  Yankee"  messenger  entered,  and  one  of  them 
was  in  the  room  through  which  the  shell  whizzed  on  its 
deadly  errand,  but  fortunately  the  fuse  was  long  enough 
to  prevent  its  explosion  for  several  seconds,  thereby 
saving  the  terrified  woman's  life. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  our  advance  at  Big  Shanty,  this 
hotel,  which  was  quite  well  furnished  for  this  section  of 
the  country,  was  guarded.  The  owners  having  aban 
doned  the  property  the  guard  was  relieved,  and  in  les» 
than  half  an  hour  the  rooms  were  filled,  yes,  the  hotel 
was  fairly  besieged  with  soldiers  representing  every 
arm  of  the  service,  with  a  sprinkling  of  negro  servants, 
the  rough  crowd  all  intent  upon  getting  "something 
good  to  eat,"  while  another  portion  was  bent  upon  mis 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   UOSriTAf..         o75 

chief.  Such  scenes  as  were  there  enacted,  and  such  a 
terrihle  realization  of  Pandemonium,  no  artist's  facile 
pencil,  or  this  feeble  pen,  can  half  portray.  Up-stairs, 
down-stairs,  inside,  outside,  kitchen,  dining-room,  parlor, 
and  bedroom,  all  shared  the  general  tumult,  and  not  a 
cobwebbed  nook  escaped  overhauling  from  these  inquisi- 
tive "  mudsills." 

In  the  parlor  was  a  fine  piano,  drummed  and  played 
upon  alternately,  with  a  boisterous  crowd  of  soldiers 
leaning  upon  it,  each  one  shouting  for  some  particular 
tune  expressive  of  their  musical  tastes.  "  Give  us  Glory 
Hallelujah,"  shouts  one.  "  No,  that's  played  out,"  saya 
another.  "Play  Rally  Round  the  Flag."  "Pshaw! 
give  us  a  jig,"  and  thus  it  went,  a  perfect  jargon  of  sound 
filling  the  apartment,  while  m  one  corner  of  the  room 
two  soldiers  were  at  work  winding  up  and  causing  an 
old  clock  to  strike.  Look  into  the  entry  with  me,  and 
see  the  scrambhng  of  fifty  soldiers  over  a  barrel  of  flour 
and  a  barrel  of  sugar  and  molasses,  while  feather  beds 
are  torn  to  pieces.  One  mischievous  fellow  has  found 
the  dinner  bell,  and  yells  out  "  Fifteen  minutes  for  din- 
ner." Another  has  discovered  a  string  of  cow  bells, 
and  at  once  strives  to  drown  the  inharmonious  sounds 
of  his  rivals. 

With  the  drumming  of  the  piano,  the  striking  clock, 
the  blowing  of  horns,  the  rattling  of  dishes,  the  ringing 
of  cow  and  dinner  bells,  the  clatter  of  a  sewing  mar- 
chine,  and  the  wrangling  of  soldiers  over  the  spoils, 
the  ear  was  appalled  and  deafened,  furniture,  bedding, 
cooking  utensils,  books,  pictures,  chinarware,  ladies* 
wearing  apparel,  hoop  skirts  and  bonnets,  were  thrown 
together  in  promiscuous  heaps  with  all  sorts  of  dirty 
mbbisb. 


876         ARiir  LIFE   tX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND  HOSPITAL. 


INCIDENTS  OF  GRIERSON'S  RAID. 

While  several  of  the  Union  scouts  were  feeding  their 
horses  at  the  stables  of  a  -wealthy  planter  of  secession 
proclivities,  the  proprietor  looking  on,  apparently  deeply 
interested  in  the  proceeding,  suddenly  burst  out  with  : 
"  Well,  boys,  I  can't  say  I  have  any  thing  against  you. 
I  don't  know  but  on  the  whole,  I  rather  like  you.  You 
have  not  taken  any  thing  of  mine  except  a  little  corn 
for  your  horses,  and  that  you  are  welcome  to.  I  have 
heard  of  you  all  over  the  country.  You  are  doing  the 
boldest  thing  ever  done.  But  you'll  be  trapped,  though; 
you'll  be  trapped  ;  mark  me." 

At  another  place,  where  the  men  thought  it  advisa- 
ble to  represent  themselves  as  Jackson's  cavalry,  a  whole 
company  was  very  graciously  entertained  by  a  strong 
eecession  lady,  who  insisted  on  whipping  a  negro  because 
he  did  not  bring  the  hoe  cakes  fast  enough. 

On  one  occasion,  seven  of  Colonel  Grierson's  scouts 
stopped  at  the  house  of  a  wealthy  planter,  to  feed  their 
jaded  horses.  Upon  ascertaining  that  he  had  been 
doing  a  little  guerilla  business  upon  his  own  account, 
our  men  encouraged  him  to  the  belief  that,  as  they  were 
the  invincible  Van  Dorn  cavalry,  they  would  soon  catch 
the  Y^'ankees.  The  secession  gentleman  heartily  ap- 
proved of  what  he  supposed  to  be  their  intentions,  and 
enjoined  upon  them  the  necessity  of  making  as  rapid 
marches  as  possible.  As  the  men  had  discovered  two 
splendid  carriage  horses  in  the  planter's  stable,  they 
thought,  under  the  circumstances,  they  would  be  justified 


ARMY   LIFE    IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         377 

ia  malving  an  exchange,  which  they  accordingly  pro- 
ceeded to  do. 

As  they  were  taking  the  saddles  from  their  own  tired 
steeds  and  placing  them  on  the  backs  of  the  guerilla's 
horses,  the  proprietor  discovered  them,  and  at  once  ob 
jected.  He  was  met  with  the  reply  that,  as  he  waa 
anxious  that  the  Yankees  should  be  speedily  overtaken, 
those  after  them  should  have  good  horses. 

"All  right,  gentlemen,"  said  the  planter ;  "  I  will  keep 
your  animals  until  you  return ;  I  suppose  you'll  be  back 
in  two  or  three  days  at  the  farthest.  When  you  return 
you'll  find  they  have  been  well  cared  for." 

The  soldiers  were  sometimes  asked  where  they  got 
their  blue  coats.  They  always  replied,  if  they  were 
travelling  under  the  name  of  Van  Dorn's  cavalry,  that 
they  took  them  at  Holly  Springs  of  the  Yankees.  This 
always  excited  great  laughter  among  the  secessionists. 
The  scouts,  however,  usually  wore  the  regular  "  secesh" 
uniforms. 


♦  11  ^  .«  » 


FORAGING. 

Nothing  in  the  excitement  of  army  life  has  been  the 
cause  of  more  sport  than  the  hberty  given  under  certain 
circumstances,  and  taken  under  others,  for  the  private 
soldier  to  "forage."  In  civilized  warfare,  ordinarily, 
the  supplying  of  the  troops  with  necessary  food  from  the 
enemy's  country  is  supposed  to  be  a  systematic  business 
operation,  conducted  by  the  officers  of  the  army  of  occu- 
pation, by  requisition,  either  in  money  or  produce,  for 


378         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CA5IP,    FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

which  receipts  of  greater  or  less  value  are  given.  In  a 
civil  war,  the  supplies  are  to  be  paid  for,  according  tx) 
thie  tenor  of  the  receipt,  on  proof  of  the  loyalty  of  the 
party  furnishing  them  to  the  government  of  the  captors. 
But  in  actual  practice,  there  is  a  large  amount  of  private 
plundering,  which  army  officers,  though  they  may  cen- 
sure, find  it  convenient  to  wink  at.  The  men  may  have 
been  on  hard  and  unpalatable  fare  for  days  or  weeks, 
and  it  is  nearly  impossible  to  prevent  them  from  taking 
pigs,  chickens,  etc,  when  they  are  in  a  vicinity  where 
they  abound.  The  plunder  and  destruction  of  other 
valuables,  such  as  watches,  jewelry,  clothing,  musical 
instruments,  books,  and  the  burning  of  houses,  etc.,  as 
it  was  practiced  by  the  "  bummers"  or  camp  followers 
of  Sherman's  army,  is  an  outrage  on  civilized  warfare, 
and  is  a  just  ground  of  bitter  reproach  to  the  adminis- 
tration of  that  very  able  commander.  Some  of  the 
foraging  stories  are,  however,  full  of  humor,  and  could 
hardly  be  otherwise  regarded  than  as  excellent  jokes, 
even  by  the  suJQferers  themselves.     We  subjoin  a  few. 

Drawing  Rations. — There  are  some  episodes  in  the 
life  of  a  soldier  provocative  of  laughter,  and  that  serve 
to  disperse,  in  some  manner,  the  ennui  of  camp  life.  A 
farmer,  who  did  not  reside  so  far  from  a  camp  of  "  the 
boys"  as  he  wished  he  did,  was  accustomed  to  find  every 
morning  that  several  rows  of  potatoes  had  disappeared 
from  the  field.  He  bore  it  for  some  time,  but  when  the 
last  of  his  fine  field  of  kidneys  began  to  disappear,  he 
thought  the  thing  had  gone  far  enough,  and  determined 
to  stop  it.  Accordingly,  he  made  a  visit  to  camp  early 
next  morning,  and  amused  himself  by  going  round  to  see 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         379 

whether  the  soldiers  were  provided  with  good  and 
wholesome  provisions.  He  had  not  proceeded  far,  when 
he  found  a  ''  boy"  just  serving  up  a  fine  dish  of  kidneys, 
which  looked  marvellously  like  those  that  the  good  wife 
brought  to  his  own  table.  Halting,  the  following  col 
lo«|uy  ensued ; 

*'  Have  fine  potatoes  here,  I  see." 

*'  Splendid,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Where  do  you  get  them  ?" 

"Draw  them." 

''Does  government  furnish  potatoes  for  rations?" 

•*  Nary  tater." 

"  I  thought  you  said  you  drew  them  ?" 

"  Did.     We  just  do  that  thing." 

"  But  Juyw  ?  if  they  are  not  included  in  your  rations." 

"Easiest  thing  in  the  world — wont  you  take  some 
with  us  ?"  said  the  soldier,  as  he  seated  himself  opposite 
the  smoking  vegetables. 

"  Thank  you.  But  will  you  oblige  me  by  telling  how 
you  draw  your  potatoes,  as  they  are  not  found  by  the 
commissary  ?" 

"Nothing  easier.  Draw  'em  by  the  tops  mostly  1 
Sometimes  by  a  hoe — if  there's  one  left  in  the  field." 

"  Hum !  ha !  Yes ;  I  understand.  Well,  now,  see 
here !  If  you  wont  draw  any  more  of  mine,  I  will  bring 
you  a  basketful  every  morning,  and  draw  them  myself  1" 

"  Bully  for  you,  old  fellow !"  was  the  cry,  and  three 
cheers  and  a  tiger  were  given  for  the  farmer. 

The  covenant  was  duly  observed,  and  no  one  but  the 
farmer  drew  potatoes  from  that  field  afterward. 


380         ARMY   LIFE   IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

That  Pig. — A  few  niglits  since,  as  two  of  the  legi- 
ments  were  at  Annapolis  Junction,  on  their  way  here, 
a  mischievous  soldier,  who  was  placed  on  guard  at  some 
distance  from  the  main  body,  as  he  was  walking  his 
rounds,  shot  a  pig.  A  member  of  the  otlier  regiment, 
hearing  the  report,  hastened  to  the  spot,  and  demanded 
that  the  pig  should  be  divided,  or  he  would  inform  his 
officers.  The  prize  was  accordingly  "  partitioned,"  and 
served  up  to  the  friends  of  each  party.  The  officers, 
however,  observing  the  bones,  soon  found  out  the  guilty 
party ;  and,  on  questioning  him,  he  replied  that  he  did 
it  in  obedience  to  the  orders  he  had  received,  ''  not  to 
let  any  one  pass  without  the  countersign."  He  saw  the 
pig  coming  toward  him,  and  challenged  it ;  but,  receiv- 
ing no  answer,  he  charged  bayonet  on  it,  and,  the  pig 
still  persisting,  he  shot  it.  The  officers  laughed  heartily 
at  the  explanation,  and  sent  him  to  find  the  owner,  and 
pay  for  the  pig,  which  he  states  was  the  hardest  job  he 
ever  performed. 

In  the  summer  of  1861,  a  regiment  of  light  infantry 
from  the  vicinity  of  Norway,  Maine,  were  encamped  in 
Washington  for  a  few  days.  Two  of  the  men  had  be- 
come dissatisfied  with  their  fare,  and  they  conceived  the 
sublimely  impudent  idea  of  foraging  on  the  President's 
rations.     How  they  did  it  is  related  as  follows : 

They  proceeded  directly  to  the  President's  house. 
"Without  ceremony  they  wended  their  way  quietly  into 
the  broad  kitchen — "  bowing  to  a  tall  man"  on  their  pas- 
sage— and  carefully  selecting  what  they  thought  would 
'*  go  round,"  made  the  following  speech  to  the  cook : 

*'  Look  here ;  we've  sworn  to  support  the  govern m<5nt ; 


ARMY    LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AXD   DOSPITAL.         o8l 

for  three  days  we've  done  it  on  salt  junk ;  now  if  yon 
would  spare  us  a  little  of  this  it  would  put  the  thing  along 
nmazlnghj. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  boys  had  an  abundance 
that  day. 

ITow  A  Yankee  Soldier  kept  a  Hotel  in  Dixie. — 
"When  General  Banks'  amiy  moved  on  up  the  Shenan- 
doah valley  from  New  Market,  Quartermaster- Sergeant 
Reuben  W.  Oliver,  of  Cochran's  New  York  battery,  had 
to  be  temporarily  left  in  a  barn,  on  account  of  injuries 
he  had  received.  Soon  after  our  departure  he  made 
application  at  the  lady's  house  adjoining  for  board ;  but 
he  was  informed,  in  true  Virginia  style,  that  she  did 
not  board  "Yankee  barbarians." 

"Very  well,"  replied  Oliver,  ^"if  you  wont  board  me 
I  shall  keep  a  hotel  in  your  barn,  but  shall  probably 
call  upon  you  occasionally  for  supplies ;"  and  he  hobbled 
baek  to  the  barn. 

Oliver  was  every  inch  a  soldier,  and  he  went  to 
work  at  once.  Taking  a  revolver,  he  shot  madam's 
finest  young  porker,  which  his  assistant  immediately 
dressed.  Ilis  able  assistant  next  went  to  the  apiary 
and  "  took  us"  a  hive  of  bees,  and  transferred  the  honey 
to  the  bam.  He  then  went  to  the  lot  and  milked  a  pail 
of  milk  from  her  ladyship's  cows.  Then,  going  to  her 
servants'  house,  he  made  a  "requisition"  for  a  quantity 
of  fresh  corn-dodgers  that  had  been  prepared  for  supper. 
The  addition  of  these  articles  to  his  ordinary  rations 
placed  him  far  beyond  the  point  of  starvation. 

True  to  his  Yankee  instincts,  he  invited  the  lady  to 
take  tea  with  him,  at  the  hotel  across  the  way — at 


382         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

which  she  became  spitefully  indignant.  But  Oliver  wad 
as  happy  as  a  lark,  and  for  the  time  almost  forgot  his 
injuries. 

Soon  he  had  several  sick  soldiers  added  to  his  list 
of  boarders;  and  in  due  time  a  sheep,  and  another 
young  porker,  and  a  second  hive  of  bees,  were  gathered 
under  the  roof  of  his  "  hotel ;"  and  furthermore,  not  a 
cock  remained  to  proclaim  when  the  morning  dawned. 
By  this  time  her  ladyship  thought  she  could  '•  see  it," 
and  sent  for  Oliver,  who,  as  promptly  as  the  nature  of 
his  injuries  would  permit,  reported  at  the  door. 

"  See  here,  young  man,'*  said  she,  "  I  perceive  that  it 
would  be  cheaper  for  me  to  board  you  in  my  house — 
and,  if  you  will  accept,  you  can  have  board  and  a  room 
fiee." 

"  Thank  you,  madam,  thank  you,"  replied  Oliver,  re- 
moving his  cap  and  bowing  politely ;  "  but  I  prefer 
boarding  at  a  firstrclass  Yankee  hotel  to  stopping  at  any 
secession  house  in  Virginia  at  the  same  price.  You 
will  therefore  be  so  kind  as  to  excuse  me  for  declining 
your  generous  offer,  as  it  comes  too  late !"  And  back 
he  hobbled  to  the  barn — and  actually  remained  there 
two  weeks — taking  in  and  boarding  every  sick  soldier 
that  came  along ;  making  frequent  "  requisitions"  upon 
her  for  supplies. 

Her  ladyship  was  mightily  pleased  when  Oliver's 
Yankee  hotel  was  discontinued;  but  it  taught  her  a 
valuable  lesson,  and  Yankee  soldiers  never  thereafter 
applied  to  her  in  vain  for  food  and  shelter.  They 
always  got  what  they  wanted,  she  evidently  not  relish- 
ing the  Yankee  hotel  system. 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMF,  FIELD,  AND    nOSFITAL,         383 

Foraging  for  Whiskey. — The  appetite  for  strong 
drink  w<as  so  fierce  among  some  of  tlie  soldiers,  that 
thej  would  resort  to  all  kinds  of  expedients  to  obtain 
it.  At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  when  the  troops 
were  encan^ped  near  Washington,  in  spite  of  the  most 
stringent  orders  many  would  get  intoxicated ;  and  it 
was  found  that  it  was  smuggled  into  camp  in  gun  bar- 
rels. At  Falmouth,  before  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg, 
General  Burnside  ordered  several  hundred  barrels  of 
commissary  whiskey  to  be  sent  down  from  Washington 
to  Acquia  creek.  Lieutenant  ,  of  the  Twenty- 
ninth  New  York,  acting  brigadier  commissary  in  Getty's 
division,  sent  repeatedly  to  the  creek  for  a  supply ;  but 
every  barrel  that  was  furnished  here  would  disappear 
from  the  cars  before  reaching  Falmouth,  rumor  having 
it  that  the  roguish  Hawkins'  Zouaves  had  "  gobbled" 
them.  At  length,  despairing  of  obtaining  any  of  the 
stufi'  by  order,  he  proceeded  personally  to  Acquia  creek 
for  a  supply.  He  obtained  one  barrel,  and  standing  it 
up  in  the  car,  seated  himself  upon  tJie  toj)  of  the  barrel, 
confident  that  no  one  would  get  that  away  from  him. 
What  was  his  dismay,  on  springing  down  to  the  plat- 
form at  Falmouth,  to  find  the  barrel  empty!  Some  in- 
genious soldiers  had  bored  a  hole  up  through  the  bottom 
of  the  car  while  the  train  halted  at  Potomac  creek  or 
Burke's  station,  tapped  the  barrel,  and  drained  it  to  the 
dregs ! 

Foraging  by  Veteran  Soldiers. — In  March,  1862, 
In  the  advance  upon  Winchester,  Brigadier-General 
Abercrombie  commanded  the  first  brigade,  having 
Cochran's  battery  with  it.   Abercrombie  was  very  strict, 


384.         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   EOSPITAL. 

not  allowing  his  men  to  forage.  The  next  moming 
after  -vve  camped  near  Berry ville,  the  general  rode 
through  the  battery.  The  captain  was  in  his  tent. 
Approaching  it,  he  discovered  the  quarters  of  a  fine 
young  beef  that  the  men  had  "  foraged"  the  previouB 
night,  lying  against  a  tree.  The  general's  brow  con* 
tracted  as  he  demanded  of  Sergeant  Leander  E.  Davis  : 

^'  Where  the  d — 1  did  you  get  that  beef?  I  gave  the 
commissary  no  orders  to  issue  fresh  beef  here." 

Davis,  who  was  a  very  polite  soldier,  removed  his  cap, 
and  saluted  the  general,  saying,  in  a  tone  evincing  per- 
fect coolness  and  sincerity : 

"  General,  I  was  sergeant  of  the  guard  last  night,  and 
about  ten  o'clock  I  heard  a  terrible  commotion  in  the 
camp  of  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  Colonel  AVebster's 
regiment,  across  the  road.  I  rushed  out  to  see  what 
was  going  on,  and  just  as  I  passed  the  captain's  tent  I 
saw  a  fine  steer  coming  through  the  camp  of  the  Twelfth 
Massachusetts,  with  about  a  hundred  men  after  it.  The 
animal  appeared  very  much  frightened,  general,  and, 
true  as  you  live,  it  jumped  clear  across  the  road  (about 
two  rods),  over  both  stone  fences,  and  as  it  alighted  in 
this  lot  it  struck  its  head  against  this  tree,  and  being  so 
terribly  scared,  its  head,  hide,  and  legs  kept  right  on 
running,  while  the  quarters  dropped  down  here,  where 
they  have  remained  ever  since.  It  is  very  fine,  tender 
beef,  general,  and  I  had  just  come  here  for  the  purpose 
of  cutting  off  and  sending  you  a  fine  sirloin  roast  for 
dinner.     "Will  you  be  so  obliging  as  to  accept  of  it  ?" 

"  How  long  have  you  been  a  soldier  ?"  demanded  ^Jbs 
old  general. 

"About  six  months  general." 


ARMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         b85 

"  Well,  sir^  I  perceive  that  you  thoroughly  app.recidte 
the  art  of  war,  and  have  become  a  veteran  in  half  a  year. 
Were  you  a  green  soldier  1  .should  order  you  under 
arrest,  and  have  you  court-martialed ;  but,  on  account 
of  your  veteran  proclivities,  I  shall  recommend  you  for 
promotion !"  and  putting  spurs  to  his  horse  he  rode 
away,  shaking  his  sides  with  laughter. 


Making  a  Clean  Sweep. — If  the  practice  of  plun- 
dering the  house  of  an  enemy  of  all  its  provisions  were 
ever  justifiable,  it  would  seem  to  have  been  partially  so 
in  the  following  instance,  which  is  related  by  a  veteran 
of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  : 

We  had  had  but  a  scanty  allowance  of  food  for 
several  days,  and  the  boys  were  getting  to  be  pretty 
wolfish.  Not  far  from  our  camp — by  the  way,  this  was 
down  in  Tennessee,  in  '62 — there  was  a  large  rebel 
plantation,  with  a  fine  house,  which  the  niggers  said 
was  actually  overstocked  with  every  thing  nice.  Some 
of  the  boys  went  there  to  try  and  raise  something  to  eat. 
Several  very  stylish-looking  ladies  came  out  on  the  por- 
tico ;  but  when  we  asked  them  for  food — gracious ! — 
how  they  abused  us !  It  \vas  perfectly  savage !  They 
presented  pistols,  and  said  they'd  blow  out  our  brains, 
and  in  fact  "  carried  on"  as  only  "  reb"  women  can.  Well 
— we  retreated. 

About  an  hour  after.  Major  W and  several  others 

of  our  officers  went  to  the  same  house,  where  the  ladies 
gave  them  a  luncheon,  and  at  the  same  time  provoked 
and  annoyed  them  as  much  as  possible,  by  giving  an 
exaggerated  account  of  the  manner  in  which  they  had, 

25 


■^86  ARMY    LIFE    IS    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

as  they  said,  driven  off  a  band  of  Federal  thieves  thai 
morning,  and  scared  them  to  death  with  rusty  and  un- 
loaded old  pistols.  They  didn't  spare  the  major,  and  in- 
sulted him  by  ridiculing  his  soldiers,  until  he  was  as 
mad  as  a  hornet. 

I  don't  know  how  it  was,  but,  soon  after  the  major 
got  back  to  camp,  somebody  proposed  to  shell  that 
hou.s<;  out.  Down  we  went  with  a  rush.  The  ladies 
came  out  in  a  rage,  and  flourished  their  old  pistols,  and 
abused  us  like  street-walkers ;  but  it  was  all  of  no  use. 
The  boys  swarmed  like  bees  into  the  cellar ;  and  I  tell 
you,  it  was  the  best  filled  house  I  ever  foraged  on. 
What  they  ever  intended  to  do  with  such  supplies  of 
canned  fruits  and  meats,  such  rows  on  rows  of  hams, 
and  barrels  of  every  thing  nice,  I  can't  imagine.  The 
boys  filled  bags,  and  sheets,  and  blankets,  and  wheeled 
the  plunder  off,  or  carried  it — *'  like  good  fellows." 

Of  course  the    ladies  sent   off  post  haste  to    Major 

W ,  to  come  and  stop  this  business.    He  was  a  very 

long  time  in  coming — very.  I  think  that  the  messenger 
must  have  had  a  hard  time  to  find  him.  And  when  he 
got  there  he  didn't  speak  to  any  of  us,  and  seemed  to  be 
ratter  slow  in  taking  in  the  whole  story  from  the  ladies. 
When  he  had  heard  them  out — and  it  takes  a  long  time 
for  an  angry  woman  to  say  all  that  she  has  to  say — lie 
bowed,  and  said  :  "  Ladies,  I  will  see  to  it  at  once.** 
So  down  he  came,  and  began  to  rate  us  in  this  style  : 

"  Men,  what  do  you  mean  by  such  infernal  conduct  ? 
Stop  your  pillaging  at  wice!"  (Then  aside.)  "  I  hope 
you've  cleaned  the  place  out,  d — n  it!"  (Aloud.) 
"  Put  down  that  bag  of  potatoes,  you  scoundrel  !** 
{Aside.)     "And  roll  off  that  barrel  of  sugar,  you  d — d 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,   FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.  o87 

fool!"  (AIoiul)  "  If  I  catch  you  foraging  again  in  tliia 
fashion,  I'll  make  you  repent  it."  {Aside.)  **  Pitch 
into  the  grub,  boys ! — there's  a  whole  chest  of  tea  in 
tliat  dark  corner !" 

As  the  major  went  up-stairs,  the  cellar  was  empty. 
The  last  thing  I  heard  him  say  to  the  ladies  was,  that 
"hi8  men  should  never  forage  there  again  ;"  and  his  la^t 
aside — "  I  don't  think  they've  left  a  single  d — d  thing 
to  steal." 


TuE  Pen  Mightier  than  the  Sword. — While  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  was  making  its  way  into  Virginia, 
a  party  of  soldiers,  hungry  and  fierce,  had  just  reached 
a  rail  fence,  tied  their  horses,  and  pitched  their  officers' 
tents,  when  four  pigs  incautiously  approached  the 
camp.  The  men,  on  noticing  them,  immediately  de- 
cided on  their  capture.  They  stationed  two  parties, 
one  at  each  end  of  a  V  in  the  fence,  with  rails  cO  com- 
plete the  two  sides  of  a  square ;  two  men  were  then  sent 
to  scatter  corn  before  the  pigs,  and  lead  them  along  in- 
side the  V,  when  the  square  was  finished  and  the  pigs 
penned.  A  cavalry  officer,  whose  men  had  attempted 
their  destruction  with  their  sabres,  came  up,  and  said  to 
the  army  correspondent  who  tells  the  story,  ''Ah  !  the 
pen  is  still  mightier  than  the  sword  r 


General  Payne,  of  Illinois,  commanded  a  brigade  in 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  composed  of  Ohio  and 
Illinois  troops.  A  soldier  of  the  Seventy-ninth  sent  to 
the  Dayton  (Ohio)  Journal,  the  following  in  reference  to 
this  officer  : 


388  ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSl'lTAL. 

The  Rebellion  must  be  Squelched. — One  day  a 
wealthy  old  lad}',  whose  plantation  was  in  the  vicinity 
of  camp,  came  in  and  inquired  for  General  Payne. 
When  the  commander  made  his  appearance,  the  old 
lady  in  warm  language  at  once  acquainted  hhn  with  the 
fact  that  his  men  had  stolen  her  last  coopful  of  chickens, 
and  demanded  their  restitution,  or  their  value  in  cur- 
rency. 

''  I  am  sorry  for  you,  madam,"  replied  the  general ; 
*'but  I  can't  help  it.  The  fact  is,  ma'am,  we  are  deter- 
mined to  squelch  out  this  unholy  rebellion,  if  it  takes 
every  d — d  chicken  in  Tennessee." 

This  exhibition  of  utter  recklesness  of  means  for  the 
accomplishment  of  a  purpose  which  the  old  lady  deemed 
most  foul,  temporarily  deprived  her  of  the  power  of 
speech,  and  she  passed  from  the  presence  of  the  general 
without  asserting  her  right — the  last  word. 


A  Dark  Shadow. — A  captain  in  front  of  Petersburg 
writes : 

Last  March,  our  regiment  (the  Twenty-second  United 
States  Colored  Troops)  was  du  rather  a  wild  raid  in  King 
and  Queen  county,  Virginia.  As  the  raid  was  intended  as  a 
punishment  for  the  brutal  murder  of  the  gallant  young 
Dahlgren,  the  men  were  allowed  much  more  liberty  than 
is  common  even  on  such  occasions,  and  great  was  the 
havoc  inflicted  upon  the  natives,  in  the  way  of  private 
excursions  among  the  hen-houses,  and  many  were  the 
remarks  created  among  the  "  smokes."  One  enterpris- 
ing fellow  brought  in  with  his  supply  of  poultry  an  ex- 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  389 

ceedingly  lean  and  thin  hen.  This  fact  being  observed 
by  one  of  his  comrades,  gave  rise  to  the  following  re- 
mark : 

*'  Golly !  I  tho't  I's  berry  good  forr'ger,  but  nebber 
(*©en  a  man  afore  could  cotch  de  shadder  of  a  hen  1" 


ADVENTURE  OF  A  SPY. 

I  HAVE  lately  returned  from  the  South,  but  my  exact 
V  hereabouts  in  that  region,  for  obvious  reasons,  it  would 
not  be  politic  to  state.  Suspected  of  being  a  Northerner, 
it  w  IS  often  my  advantage  to  court  obscurity.  Known 
as  a  spy,  "  a  short  shrift"  and  a  ready  rope  would  have 
prevented  the  blotting  of  this  paper.  Hanging,  dis 
guised,  on  the  outskirts  of  a  camp,  mixing  with  its 
idlers,  laughing  at  their  jokes,  examining  their  arms, 
counting  their  numbers,  endeavoring  to  discover  the 
plans  of  their  leaders,  listening  to  this  party  and  pursu- 
ing that,  joining  in  the  chorus  of  a  rebel  song,  betting 
on  rebel  success,  cursing  abolitionism,  despising  Northern 
fighters,  laughing  at  their  tactics,  and  sneering  at  their 
weapons ;  praising  the  beauty  of  Southern  belles  and 
decrying  that  of  Northern ;  calling  New  York  a  den  of 
cutthroats  and  New  Orleans  a  paradise  of  immaculate 
chivalry,  is  but  a  small  portion  of  the  practice  of  my 
profession  as  a  spy.  This  may  not  seem  honorable  nor 
desirable.  As  to  the  honor,  let  the  country  benefited 
by  the  investigations  and  warnings  of  the  spy  be  judge; 
and  the  danger,  often  incurred,  is  more  serious  and  per- 


3U0         ARMY    LII-E   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

fional  than  that  of  the  battle  field,  which  may,  perhapa^ 
detract  from  its  desirability. 

It  was  a  dark  night.  Not  a  star  on  the  glimmer.  1 
had  collected  my  quotum  of  intelligence,  and  was  on  the 
move  for  the  Northern  lines.  I  was  approaching  the 
banks  of  a  stream  whose  waters  1  had  to  cross,  and  had 
then  some  miles  to  traverse  before  I  could  reach  the 
pickets  of  our  gallant  troops.  A  feeling  of  uneasiness 
began  to  creep  over  me ;  I  was  on  the  outskirt  o^  a  wood 
fringing  the  dark  waters  at  my  feet,  whose  presence 
could  scarcely  be  detected  but  for  their  sullen  murmurs 
as  they  rushed  through  the  gloom.  The  wind  sighed  in 
gentle  accordance.  I  walked  forty  or  fifty  yards  along 
the  bank.  I  ther  crept  on  all  fours  along  the  ground, 
and  groped  with  my  hands.  I  paused — I  groped  again 
— my  breath  thickened — perspiration  oozed  from  every 
pore,  and  I  was  prostrated  with  horror.  I  had  missed 
my  landmark,  and  knew  not  where  I  was.  Below  or 
above,  beneath  the  shelter  of  the  bank,  lay  the  skifi"  I 
had  hidden  ten  days  before,  w4ien  I  commenced  my 
operations  among  the  followers  of  Jeff.  Davis. 

As  I  stood  gasping  for  breath,  with  all  the  unmistaka- 
ble proofs  of  my  calling  about  me,  the  sudden  cry  of  a 
bird,  or  plunging  of  a  fish,  would  act  like  magnetism 
upon  my  frame,  not  wont  to  shudder  at  a  shadow.  No 
matter  how  pressing  the  danger  may  be,  if  a  man  sees 
an  opportunity  of  escape  he  breathes  with  freedom. 
But  let  him  be  surrounded  by  darkness,  impenetrable 
at  two  yards'  distance,  within  rifle's  length  of  concealed 
foes,  for  what  knowledge  he  has  to  the  contrary ;  know- 
ing toe,  witli  painful  certainty,  the  detection  of  his  pre- 
tence would   reward   him  with  a  sudden  and  violent 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP.  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 


391 


death,  and  if  he  breathes  no  faster,  he  is  more  fitted  foi 
a  hero  than  I  am. 

In  the  agony  of  that  moment — in  the  sudden  and 
utter  helplessness  I  felt  to  discover  my  true  bearings— 
I  was  about  to  let  myself  gently  into  the  stream,  and 
breast  its  current  for  life  or  death.  There  was  no  alter- 
native. The  Northern  pickets  must  be  reached  in  safet}/ 
before  the  morning  broke,  or  I  should  soon  swing  be- 
tween  heaven  and  earth,  fi  im  some  green  limb  in  the 
dark  forest  in  which  I  stood. 

At  that  moment  the  low,  sullen  bay  of  a  bloodhound 
struck  my  ear.  The  sound  was  reviving — the  fearful 
stillness  broken  The  uncertain  dread  flew  before  the 
certain  danger.  T  was  standing  to  my  middle  in  the 
shallow  bed  of  the  river,  just  beneath  the  jutting  banks. 
After  a  pause  of  a  few  seconds,  I  began  to  creep  mechan- 
ically and  stealthily  down  the  stream,  followed,  as  I 
knew,  from  the  rustling  of  the  grass  and  frequent  break- 
ing of  twigs,  by  the  insatiable  brute  ;  although,  by  cer- 
tain uneasy  growls,  I  felt  assured  he  was  at  fault. 
Something  struck  against  my  breast.  I  could  not 
prevent  a  slight  cry  from  escaping  me,  as,  stretching  out 
my  hand,  I  grasped  the  gunwale  of  a  boat  moored  be- 
neath the  bank.  Between  surprise  and  joy  I  felt  half 
choked. 

In  an  instant  I  had  scrambled  on  board,  and  began 
to  search  for  the  painter  in  the  bow,  in  order  to  cast  her 
from  her  listenings.  Suddenly  a  bright  ray  of  moon- 
light— the  first  gleam  of  hope  in  that  black  night— fell 
directly  on  the  spot,  revealing  the  silvery  stream,  my 
own  skiff  (hidden  there  ten  days  before),  lighting  the 
deep  shadows  of  the  verging  wood,  and,  on  the  log  half 


S92  ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  VlV.Ln,  AND    IIOSTITAL. 

buried  in  the  bank,  and  fioin  which  I  had  that  iiistani 
cast  the  line  tliat  had  bound  me  to  it,  the  supple  form 
of  the  crouching  bloodhound,  his  red  eyes  gleaming  in 
the  moonlight,  jaws  distended,  and  poising  for  the 
spring.  With  one  dart  tlie  light  skiff  was  yards  out  in 
the  stream,  and  the  savage  after  it.  "With  an  oar  I  aimed 
a  blow  at  his  head,  which,  however,  he  eluded  with  ease. 
In  the  effort  thus  made,  the  boat  careened  over  toward 
my  antagonist,  who  made  a  desperate  effort  to  get  his 
fore  paws  over  the  side,  at  the  same  time  seizing  the 
gunwale  with  his  teeth.  Now  or  never  was  my  time. 
I  drew  my  revolver,  and  placed  the  muzzle  between  his 
eyes,  but  hesitated  to  fire,  for  that  one  report  might 
bring  on  me  a  volley  from  the  shore.  Meantime  the 
strength  of  the  dog  careened  the  frail  craft  so  much 
that  the  water  rushed  over  the  side,  threatening  to 
swamp  her.  I  changed  my  tactics,  threw  my  revolver 
into  the  bottom  of  the  skiff,  and  grasping  my  "  Bowie," 
keen  as  a  Malay  creese,  and  glittering  as  I  released  it 
from  the  sheath,  like  a  moonbeam  on  the  stream.  In 
on  instant  I  had  severed  the  sinewy  throat  of  the 
hound,  cutting  through  brawn  and  muscle  to  the  nape 
of  the  neck.  The  tenacious  wretch  gave  a  wild,  convul- 
sive leap  half  out  of  the  water,  then  sank  and  was  gone. 
Five  minutes' pulling  landed  me  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  and  in  an  hour  after  I  was  among  friends  within 
the  Northern  lines. 


General   Pope  and   the   Assistant    Secretary    op 
War. — A  correspondent  of  the  N.  Y.  Tnhuiie  says : 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.  393 

I  heard,  while  at  Pillow,  an  anecdote  of  General  Pope 
— an  officer  of  ability,  but  sometimes  a  very  unpleasant 
man,  with  a  pompous  and  hectoring  manner — which  will 
bear  repetition.  While  at  his  headquarters,  the  general 
was  approached  by  a  rather  small,  plain-looking,  and 
entirely  unassuming  man,  in  citizen's  attire,  with  the 
question:  "Are you  General  Pope,  sir?" 

''  That  is  my  name,"  was  the  answer,  in  rather  a 
repelling  tone. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  you,  then,  on  a  matter  of  busi- 
ness." 

"Call  on  my  adjutant,  sir.  He  will  arrange  any 
business  you  may  have." 

"  But  I  wish  to  have  a  personal  conversation  with 
you. 

"  See  my  adjutant,"  in  an  authoritative  voice. 

u  But—" 

"  Did  I  not  tell  you  to  see  my  adjutant  ?  Trouble  me 
no  more,  sir ;"  and  Pope  was  about  walking  away. 

"  My  name  is  Scott,  general,"  quietly  remarked  the 
small,  plain  man. 

"  Confound  you  !  What  do  I  care,"  thundered  Pope, 
in  a  rising  passion,  "if  your  name  is  Scott,  or  Jones,  or 
Jenkins,  or  Snooks,  for  the  matter  of  that?  See  ray 
adjutant,  I  tell  you,  fellow !     Leave  my  presence !" 

'  I  am,"  continued  the  quiet  man,  in  his  quiet  way^ 
*'  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War,  and — " 

What  a  revolution  those  simple  words  made  in  the 
general's  appearance  and  manner  ! 

His  angry,  haughty,  domineering  air  was  dispelled  m 
a  moment,  ard  a  Hush  of  confusion  passed  over  hifl 
altered  face 


394         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    UOSPITAL. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Scott,  I  had  no  idea  whom 
I  was  addressing.  Pray  be  seated  ;  I  shall  be  happy  to 
grant  you  an  interview  at  any  time." 

Possibly  a  very  close  observer  might  have  seen  a  faint, 
half  contemptuous  smile  on  the  Secretary's  lips ;  though 
he  said  nothing,  but  began  to  unfold  his  business  with- 
out comment. 

After  that  unique  interview.  Pope  and  the  Assistant 
Secretary  were  very  frequently  together,  and  I  venture 
to  say  the  latter  had  no  reason  subsequently  to  complain 
of  the  general's  rudeness. 


THE   RELIGIOUS   SENTIMENT  IN  THE  ARMY. 

It  is  well  known  that  some  of  our  bravest  and  most 
efficient  of  the  Union  generals  were  men  of  undoubted 
and  pre-eminent  piety.  General  Howard  maintained  the 
lustre  of  his  Christian  profession  amid  the  most  trying 
Bcenes  which  a  soldier  could  be  called  to  encounter.  Gen- 
eral Bumside  was  also  known  as  a  decided  Christian ;  and 
many  of  the  division  and  brigade  commanders  were  re-. 
markable  for  their  deeply  religious  character.  Mr. 
William  Swinton,  author  of  the  "  History  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,"  relates  some  incidents  in  regard  to  Gen- 
eral Couch  and  General  Rosecrans,  which  demonstrate 
the  power  of  the  religious  sentiment  in  their  characters. 

"  Never,"  says  Mr.  Swinton,  "  shall  I  forget  how 
General  Couch,  the  commander  of  the  second  corps,  and 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  aND    HOSPITAL. 


395 


successor  of  General  Sumner  (that  old  brave,  with  the 
courage  of  a  lion  and  the  tenderness  of  a  child),  re- 
plied to  a  question  which  I  put  to  him  as  to  whether 
he  was  ever  afraid  in  battle.  It  was  on  that  dark 
December  day  when  the  plains  of  Fredericksburg  were 
lit  up  with  baleful  fires,  and  the  placid  serenity  of  the 
general  amid  the  winged  messengers  of  death  prompted 
the  question.  I  should  strive  in  vain  to  convey  the 
tender  and  unaffected  grace  of  his  words  and  manner; 
but,  looking  heavenward,  he  said  :  '^  No ;  for  in  battle  I 
always  see  the  figure  of  Christ  in  the  shy  r 

This  recalls  a  somewhat  similar  anecdote  respecting 
General  Rosecrans,  which  was  told  me  by  the  staff 
officer  mentioned  below,  and  which  I  believe  has  not 
before  been  in  print.  It  is  well  known  that  General 
Rosecrans  is  a  Catholic,  and  a  devout  and  fervent 
Christian.  At  the  battle  of  Stone  river,  the  day  for  a 
time  went  against  him.  The  whole  right  wing  was  dis- 
rupted, and  irretrievable  disaster  seemed  imminent. 
The  commander  constantly  rushed  to  the  front  to  ani- 
mate his  men  by  his  presence — and  on  one  occasion^ 
when  about  to  dash  forward  to  a  position  of  peculiar 
peril,  one  of  his  aides,  young  Ca-ptain  Thompson,  pro- 
tested against  his  thus  exposing  himself.  -'0,  my 
boy,"  was  Rosecrans'  reply,  "  make  tJie  sign  of  the  true 
cross,  and  let  m  go  inT  Thus,  unconsciously,  that 
illustrious  soldier,  perhaps  the  greatest  strategist  of  the 
war,  uttered  almost  the  very,  maxim  of  Constantino, 
In  hoc  signo  vinces — in  that  sign  shalt  thou  conquer.  1 
afterward  made  with  him  that  wondrous  campaign  from 
Murfreesboro  to  Chattanooga.      Every  move  was  pr^ 


396         ARWY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,   AND   HOSPITAL. 

ceded  by  religious  exercises ;  and  I  could  well  see,  \u 
his  manifestations  of  deep  and  fervent  piety,  that  a 
higher  inspiration  than  the  blazon  of  martial  glory 
moved  him — that  it  was  truly  in  that  sig}i  that  he 
sought  to  conquer. 

The  same  writer  says  of  Captain  G.  W.  Rodgers,  of 
the  Catskill,  U.  S.  N. : 

Of  the  officers  of  the  fleet  to  which  Captain  Rodgers 
belonged — the  North  Atlantic  blockading  squadron,  un- 
der Admiral  Dupont — I  scarcely  knew  one  that  was  not 
either  a  sincere  Christian  or  at  least  a  respecter  of  re- 
ligion. Rodgers  was  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments.  I 
lived  on  board  his  vessel,  the  Catskill,  for  several  weeks 
previous  to  his  death,  and  had  sounded  the  depths  of 
his  tender  and  pious  nature.  Latterly  there  was  seen 
in  him  a  strange  unworldliness  that  seemed  to  withdraw 
him- from  life,  lifting  him  above  the  coils  and  confusions 
of  this  "  weary  and  unintelligible  world ;"  and  there 
was  seen  that  in  his  mood  and  manner  which  struck  his 
friends  with  the  sad  premonition  that  he  was  not  long 
to  move  among  us.  Yet  this  took  away  none  of  his 
alacrity  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  and  in  the  iron- 
clad assault  on  Fort  Sumter  that  soon  followed,  he  ran 
his  vessel  far  ahead  of  his  fellows,  and  laid  it  almost 
under  the  frowning  battlements  of  the  fort.  The  assault 
failed,  and  I  spent  the  night  with  him  in  his  cabin.  It 
was  expected  that  the  attack  would  be  renewed  in  the 
morning.  Our  conversation  was  prolonged  till  after 
midnight,  .^nd  without  undressing  I  lay  down.  Rodgers 
never  retired ;  but,  when  he  thought  his  companion  was 


ARMY    UFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         397 

asleep,  he  took  down  his  Bible,  and  passed  the  whole 
remainder  of  the  night  on  his  knees  in  prayer.  The 
assault  was  not  renewed ;  but  a  short  time  after,  in  an 
act  of  heroic  daring,  he  ran  his  vessel  under  the  very 
guns  of  Wagner,  and  was  killed  by  a  bolt  shot  through 
his  pilot-house.  To  my  mind  he  remains  forever  in 
the    prayerful   attitude  in  which   I   saw   him  on  that 

triste  Tioche, 

"A  statue  solid  set, 
And  moulded  in  colossal  calm." 


PARSON  BROWNLOW'S  DAUGHTER 

AND   THE   REBEL   SOLDIERS. 

After  the  fraudulent  vote  for  secessioii  in  Tennessee, 
m  June,  1861,  the  rebels  began  to  annoy  and  insult 
Parson  Brownlow  and  his  family.  His  house,  up  to 
midsummer  of  that  year,  floated  the  American  flag, 
though  many  an  attempt  was  made  to  drag  it  down. 
Early  in  June  a  Louisiana  regiment,  en  route  for  Vir- 
ginia, tarried  at  Knoxville,  awaiting  transportation  over 
the  railway,  then  crowded  beyond  its  capacity.  The 
parson  says,  in  his  record  of  the  events  of  that  year : 

'"  These  mean  scoundrels  visited  the  houses  of  Union 
men,  shouted  at  them,  groaned  and  hissed.  My  humble 
dwelling  had  the  honor  to  be  thus  greeted  oftener  than 
any  other  five  houses  in  Knoxville.  The  Southern 
papers  said  they  were  the  flower  of  their  youth.  I  said 
to  my  wife,  if  this  is  the  flower,  God  save  us  from  the 
rabble." 


398         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

Upon  one  of  these  occasions  nine  members  of  the 
Louisiana  regiment  determined  to  see  the  flag  humbled. 
Two  men  were  chosen  as  a  committee  to  proceed  to  the 
parson's  house  to  order  the  Union  ensign  down.  Mrs. 
More  (the  parson's  daughter)  answered  the  summons. 
Tn  answer  to  her  inquiry  as  to  what  was  their  errand, 
one  said,  rudely : 

"We  have  come  to  take  down  that  d — d  rag  you 
flaunt  from  your  roof — the  Stripes  and  Stars" 

Mrs.  More  stepped  back  a  pace  or  two  within  the 
door,  drew  a  revolver  from  her  dress  pocket,  and  levell- 
ing it,  answered : 

"  Come  on,  sirs,  and  take  it  down !" 

The  chivalrous  Confederates  were  startled. 

''  Yes,  come  on  !"  she  said,  as  she  advanced  toward 
them. 

They  cleared  the  piazza,  and  stood  at  bay  on  the 
walk. 

"We'll  go  and  get  more  men,  and  then  d — d  if  it 
don't  come  down !" 

"Yes,  go  and  get  more  men — ^you  are  not  men!"  said 
the  heroic  woman,  contemptuously,  as  the  two  backed 
fiom  the  place  and  disappeared. 


GENERAL    BANKS 

AND   THE   MILITARY   8PK0ULAT0R8 

Correspondents  universally  accord  to  General  Banks 
the  creditof  being  "  faithful  among  the  faithless" — perhaps 
the  only  prominent  man  in  his  department  in  Government 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP.  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.  399 

employ  who  is  not  grasping  after  the  spoils.  One  writer 
records  the  following  specimen  scene  at  the  general's 
headquarters : 

Enter  an  ex-colonel  of  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  and 
after  waiting  for  an  interview,  a  colloquy  something  like 
the  following  occurs : 

Ex-colonel. — *'  Good-morning,  general." 

General  i?.— "  Good-morning,  sir ;  I  am  very  happ>  to 
Bee  you." 

Ex-colonel. — "  General,  I  called  to  ask  for  a  pass  to  go 
to  New  Iberia." 

General  B. — '^  Your  name  is " 

Exrcolonel. — "Yes,  sir." 

General  B. — "  You  were  colonel  of  the  Massachusetts 
Regiment?" 


Ex-colonel. — "  Yes,  sir." 

General  B. — ''And  you  resigned  your  commission  to 
engage  in  speculation  ?" 

Exrcolonel. — "  Why,  general,  you  would  not  suppose 
I  should  continue  in  the  service  when  I  saw  a  chance 
to  make  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  dollars  in  a  few 
months !" 

General  B. — "  Sir,  I  did  not  come  here  to  make  money 
by  speculation,  and  it  is  because  men  like  yourself  are 
willing  to  see  my  command  broken  up,  if  they  can 
accomplish  their  own  purposes,  that  this  Department  is 
in  no  better  condition  to-day.  I  give  no  passes  to  New 
Iberia,  sir,  and  especially  I  shall  not  grant  one  to  you 
Good-morning,  sir." 

Exit  ex-colonel  evidently  considering  how  he  should 
get  to  New  Iberia  without  General  Banks'  pass. 


400         ARMY    UFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD.  AND   HOSPITAL 


A  WOxAIAN'S  PLUCK  AND  PATRIOTISM. 

An  interesting  incident  is  told  concerning  the  inde- 
pendent  and  successful  stand  taken  by  a  Union  woman 
in  New  Orleans,  in  1861.  She  and  her  husband,  a 
Mississippi  steamboat  captain,  occupied  the  middle  front 
room  of  the  lowest  range  of  sleeping  apartments  in  the 
St.  Charles  Hotel,  at  the  time  when  the  city  was  to  be 
illuminated  in  honor  of  secession.  She  refused  to  allow 
the  illuminating  candles  to  be  fixed  in  the  windows  of 
her  room,  and  the  proprietors  remonstrated  in  vain,  she 
finally  ordering  them  to  leave  the  room,  of  which  she 
claimed,  while  its  occupant,  to  have  entire  control.  The 
rest  of  the  story  is  thus  told : 

Determined  not  to  be  outdone  in  a  matter  of  such  grave 
importance,  the  captain,  who  was  not  in  the  room  during 
the  above  proceedings,  was  next  found  and  appealed  to. 
He  heard  their  case ;  said  his  wife  had  reported  him 
correctly  on  the  Union  question,  nevertheless,  he  would 
go  with  them  to  the  room,  and  see  if  the  matter  could 
be  amicably  arranged.  The  captain's  disposition  to 
yield  was  not  to  be  seconded  by  his  better  half.  The 
proprietors  next  proposed  to  vacate  the  best  chamber  in 
her  favor  in  some  other  part  of  the  house,  if  that  would 
be  satisfactory ;  but  the  lady's  "  No  !"  was  still  as  per- 
emptory as  ever.  Her  point  was  gained,  and  the  St. 
Charles  was  doomed  to  have  a  dark  front  chamber. 
Pleased  with  this  triumph,  Mrs. devised  the  fol- 
lowing manoeuvre   to  make  the  most  of  her  victory. 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   IIOSriTAL.         401 

Summoning  a  servant,  she  sent  him  out  to  procure  for 
her  an  American  thig,  which  at  dusk  she  suspended  from 
her  window.  When  evening  came,  the  streets,  anhnated 
by  a  merry  throng,  were  illuminated.  But,  alas !  the 
St.  Charles  was  disfigured  by  its  sombre  chamber,  when 
suddenly,  a  succession  of  lamps,  suspended  on  both  sides 
of  the  Hag,  were  lit  up,  revealing  the  stars  and  stripes, 
and  the  ensign  of  the  Union  waved  from  the  centre  of 
d  hotel  illuminated  in  honor  of  its  overthrow.  The 
effect  was  to  give  the  impression  that  the  whole  house 
was  thus  paying  homage  to  the  American  flag ;  and 
what  is  more  significant,  is  the  fact  that  the  flag  was 
greeted  by  the  passing  crowd  with  vociferous  applause. 
So  much  for  the  firmness  of  a  true  Union  woman. 


GIVING  FOR  THE  WOUNDED  SOLDIERS 

Mrs.  D.  p.  Livermore,  one  of  the  acting  managert 
of  the  Northwestern  Sanitary  Commission,  relates  the 
following  instances  of  liberal  and  generous  giving  to  that 
branch  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  for  the  care  and 
welfare  of  the  sick  and  wounded  heroes  of  the  army. 

Some  two  or  three  months  ago,  a  poor  girl,  a  seam- 
Btress,  came  to  the  rooms  of  the  Chicago  Sanitary  Com- 
mission. "  I  do  not  feel  right,"  she  said,  '*  that  I  am 
doing  nothing  for  our  soldiers  in  the  hospitals,  and  have 
resolved  to  do  sometldng  immediately.  Which  do  you 
prefer — that  I  should  gi\e  money,  or  buy  material  and 
manuf 'icture  it  into  garm  3nt8  T 

26 


i02         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

"  You  rau.st  be  guided  by  your  circumstances,"  was 
the  answer  made  her;  "we  need  both  money  and  sup- 
phes,  and  you  must  do  that  which  is  most  convenient 
for  you." 

"  I  prefer  to  give  you  money,  if  it  will  do  as  much 
good." 

"  Very  well ;  then  give  money,  which  we  need  badly, 
and  without  which  we  cannot  do  what  is  most  necessary 
for  our  brave  sick  men." 

"  Then  I  will  give  you  the  entire  earnings  of  the  next 
two  weeks.  I'd  give  more,  but  I  have  to  help  support 
my  mother,  who  is  an  invalid.  Generally,  I  make  but 
one  vest  a  day,  but  I  will  work  earlier  and  later  these 
two  weeks." 

In  two  weeks  she  came  again,  the  poor  sewing  girl, 
her  face  radiant  with  the  consciousness  of  philanthropic 
intent.  Opening  her  portemonnaie,  she  counted  out — 
Low  much  do  you  think,  reader  ? — nineteen  dollars  and 
thirty-seven  cents !  Every  penny  was  earned  by  the 
slow  needle,  and  she  had  stitched  away  into  the  hours 
of  midnight,  on  every  one  of  the  working  days  of  the 
week.  We  call  that  an  instance  of  patriotism  married 
to  generosity. 


Some  farmers'  wives  in  the  north  of  Wisconsin, 
eighteen  miles  from  a  railroad,  had  given  to  the  Com- 
mission of  their  bed  and  table  linen,  their  husbands* 
shirts  and  dra'wers,  their  scanty  supply  of  dried  and 
canned  fruits,  till  they  had  exhausted  their  ability  to  do 
more  in  this  direction.  Still  they  were  not  satisfied. 
So  they  cast  about  to  see  what  could  be  done  in  another 
way.     They  were  all  the  wives  ^f  small  farmers,  lately 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  HELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         403 

moved  to  the  West,  living  all  in  log  cabins,  where  one 
room  sufficed  for  kitchen,  parlor,  laundry,  nursery,  and 
bedroom,  doing  their  own  housework,  sewing,  baby 
tending,  dairy  work,  and  all.     What  could  they  do  ? 

They  were  not  long  in  devising  a  way  to  gratify  the 
longings  of  their  motherly  and  patriotic  hearts,  and  in- 
stantly set  about  carrying  it  into  action.  They  resolved 
to  beg  wheat  of  the  neighboring  farmers,  and  convert  it 
into  money.  Sometimes  on  foot,  and  sometimes  with  a 
team,  amid  the  snows  and  mud  of  early  spring,  they 
canvassed  the  country  for  twenty  and  twenty-uve  miles 
around,  everywhere  eloquently  pleading  the  needs  of 
the  blue-coated  soldier  boys  in  the  hospitals,  the  elo- 
quence everywhere  acting  as  an  open  sesame  to  the 
granaries.  Now  they  obtained  a  little  from  a  rich 
man,  and  then  a  great  deal  from  a  poor  man — deeds  of 
benevolence  are  half  the  time  in  an  inverse  ratio  to  the 
ability  of  the  benefactors — till  they  had  accumulated 
nearly  five  hundred  bushels  of  wheat.  This  they  sent 
to  market,  obtained  the  highest  market  price  for  it,  and 
forwarded  the  proceeds  to  the  Commission.  As  we  held 
this  hard-earned  money  in  our  hands,  we  felt  thatitwaH 
consecrated — that  the  holy  purpose  of  these  noble 
women  had  imparted  an  almost  sacredness  to  it. 


A  LITTLE  girl  not  nine  years  old,  with  sweet  and 
timid  grace,  came  into  the  rooms  of  the  Commission,  and 
laying  a  five  dollar  gold  piece  on  our  desk,  half  fright- 
ened, told  us  its  history.  "  My  uncle  gave  me  that 
before  the  war,  and  I  was  going  to  keep  it  always  ;  but 
he's  got  killed  in  the  army,  and  mother  says  no^  I  may 


404.         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FlY.Lu,  ai>D    HOSPITAL. 

give  it  to  the  soldiers  if  I  want  to — and  I'd  like  to  dc 
*io.  I  don't  suppose  it  will  buy  much  lor  thoiii — will 
it?" 

"We  led  the  child  to  the  storeroom,  and  proceeded  to 
show  her  how  valuable  her  gift  was,  by  pointing  out 
what  it  would  buy — so  many  cans  of  condensed  milk, 
or  sc  many  bottles  of  ale,  or  pounds  of  tea,  or  codfish, 
etc.  Her  face  brightened  with  pleasure.  But  when  we 
explained  to  her  that  her  five  dollar  gold  piece  was  equal 
to  seven  dollars  and  a  half  in  greenbacks,  and  told  her 
how  much  comfort  we  had  been  enabled  to  cany  into  a 
hospital  with  as  small  an  amount  of  stores  as  (hat  sum 
would  purchase,  she  fairly  danced  for  joy.  "  Oh,  it  will 
do  lots  of  good,  wont  it?"  And  folding  her  hands 
earnestly  before  her,  she  begged,  in  her  charmingly 
modest  way,  "  Please  tell  me  something  that  you' v-e  seon 
in  the  hospitals."  A  narration  of  a  few  touching  ©vents, 
not  such  as  would  too  severely  shock  the  lit  lie 
creature,  but  which  plainly  showed  the  necessity  of  cm- 
tinued  benevolence  to  the  hospitals,  filled  her  sw  et 
eyes  with  tears,  and  drew  from  her  the  resolution  '"  to 
save  all  her  money,  and  to  get  all  the  girls  to  do  so,  to 
buy  things  for  the  wounded  soldiers."  And  away  k  le 
flew,  revelling  in  the  luxury  of  doing  good,  and  hap^»^ 
in  the  formation  of  a  good  resolution. 

A  ragged  little  urchin,  who  thrusts  his  unkempt  pate 
daily  into  the  rooms,  with  the  shrill  cry  of  "  Matches  1 
matches !"  had  stood  watching  the  little  girl,  and  listen- 
ing to  the  talk.  As  she  disappeared,  he  fumbled  in  his 
ragged  pocket,  and  drew  out  a  small  handful  of  crumpled 
and  soiled  postal  currency.  "  Here,"  said  he,  "  I'U 
give  you  so  muc\  hr  them  'ere  sick  fellers  in  the  hospi- 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD.  AND   HOSPITAL.  405 

tals,"  and  he  put  fifty-five  cents  into  our  hand,  all  in 
five  cent  currency.  "Wi  hesitated.  "No,  my  boy, 
don't  give  it.  You're  a  noble  little  fellow,  but  I'm  afraid 
you  can't  jifford  to  give  so  much.  You  keep  it,  and  I'll 
give  the  fifty-five  cents,  or  somebody  else  will." 

"Oh,  no,"  he  replied,  "you,  keep  it.  P'raps  I  ain't 
fo  poor  as  yer  think.  My  father,  he  saws  wood,  and 
my  mother,  she  takes  in  washin',  and  I  sells  matches 
— and  p'raps  we've  got  more  money  than  yer  think. 
Keep  it !"  And  he  turned  his  dirty,  but  earnest  face 
up  to  us  with  a  most  beseeching  look.     "  Keep  it — do !" 

We  took  the  crumpled  currency — we  forgot  the  dirty 
face  and  the  tattered  cap — we  forgot  that  we  had  called 
the  little  scamp  a  "  nuisance,"  every  day  for  months, 
when  he  had  made  us  fairly  jump  from  our  seat  with 
his  shrill,  unexpected  cry  of  "  Matches  !  matches !"  and 
made  a  dive  at  him  to  kiss  him.  But  he  was  too  quick 
for  us,  and  darted  out  of  the  room  as  if  he  had  been 
shot.  Ever  since,  when  he  meets  us,  he  gives  us  a  wide 
berili,  and  walks  off  the  sidewalk  into  the  gutter,  eyeing 
us  with  a  suspicious,  sidelong  glance,  as  though  he  sus- 
pected we  still  meditated  kissing  intentions  toward  him. 
If  we  speak  to  him,  he  looks  at  us  shyly,  and  offers  no 
reply — but  if  we  pass  him  without  speaking,  he  chal- 
lenges us  with  a  hearty  "  halloo,  you  !"  that  brings  Ui 
to  a  halt  instantly. 


The    Disappointed    Bummer. — In    Sherman's   marcu 
through  the  Carolinas,  during  the  skirmish  in  front  of 


406         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

FayettevUle,  one  of  the  captains  in  the  Union  armj^, 
who  wjis  in  advance  of  his  men,  crept,  in  a  citizen'fa 
coat,  up  to  a  fence,  in  order  to  get  a  better  look  at  the 
enemy,  who  were  retreating  but  firing  rapidly.  Sud- 
denly he  was  confronted  by  a  ragged  and  barefooted 
fellow,  whom  he  instantly  recognized  as  one  of  the 
"bummers."  The  recognition,  however,  was  not  re- 
eiprocal,  for  the  "bummer"  exulted  in  the  thought 
that  he  had  caught  a  rebel,  and  proceeded  to  salute  him 
thus : 

"  Halloo !  just  stop  right  thar,"  surveying  his  ex- 
tremities.    "  I  say,  come  up  out  of  them  boots." 

"I  couldn't  think  of  it,"  was  the  reply;  "they  are  a 
fine  pair  of  boots,  and  they  are  mine." 

"  You  needn't  say  another  d — d  word.  Come  out  of 
tliem  boots.  P'raps  you've  got  a  watch  about  your 
breeches  pocket ;  just  pull  her  out.  No  nonsense,  now ; 
Fm  in  a  hurry  to  get  arter  them  rebs." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  a  horse  ?" 

"A  horse?"  (the  "  bummer's"  eyes  sparkled.)  "A 
horse  ?  Well,  now,  you  jis'  come  up  out  of  them  boots, 
and  we'll  discuss  that  ar'  boss  question  sudden.  Where 
is  the  boss?" 

"  Oh,  he  is  right  near  by,  in  charge  of  my  orderly." 

"Thunder!  are  you  an  officer  of  our  army?  I 
thought  you  was  a  reb." 

And  then  the  "bummer"  went  to  the  lear  under 
arrist,  disgusted  beyond  measure. 


A  Sergeant  Halts  a  Whole  Regiment. — Among  the 
beauties    of    the   wa.'    in   Western   Virginia   was   the 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   nOSPITAL.         407 

"  mixed  up"  way  in  which  the  combatants  manoeuvre 
among  the  mountains.  Here  is  an  incident  in  which  a 
single  loyal  soldier  halted  an  entire  rebel  regiment : 

Sergeant  Cart,  of  Tippecanoe,  Ohio,  was  upon  the 
post  first  attacked  by  tho  enemy.  The  advance-guard 
of  the  Second  Virginia  (rebel),  consisting  of  twelve  men_ 
came  suddenly  upon  him  and  his  three  companion? 
The  bright  moonlight  revealed  the  flashing  baj^onets  of 
the  advancing  regiment.  He  was  surrounded  and 
separted  from  his  reserve.  With  great  presence  of 
mind  he  stepped  out  and  challenged,  "Halt!  Who 
goes  there  ?"  The  advanced  guard,  supposing  they  had 
come  upon  a  scouting  party  of  their  own  men,  answered, 
"  Friends,  with  the  countersign."  At  his  order,  ^'Advance 
and  give  the  countersign !"  they  hesitated.  He  repeated 
the  order  peremptorily,  "Advance  and  give  the  counter- 
i  ign,  or  I'll  blow  you  through  !"  They  answered,  with- 
out advancing,  "  Mississippi !"  "  Where  do  you  belong  ?" 
he  d(  manded.  "  To  the  Second  Virginia  Regiment." 
''  Where  are  you  going  ?"  "Along  the  ridge."  They  in 
turn,  questioned  him,  "  Who  are  you  ?"  "  That's  my 
own  business,"  he  answered,  and,  taking  deliberate  aim, 
shot  down  the  questioner. 

Calling  his  boys  to  follow  him,  he  sprung  down  a 
ledge  of  rocks,  while  a  full  volley  went  over  his  head. 
He  heard  his  companions  summoned  to  surrender,  and 
the  order  given  to  the  major  to  advance  with  the  regi- 
ment. Sevsral  started  in  pursuit  of  him.  He  had  to 
descend  the  hill  on  the  side  toward  the  enemy's  camp. 
While  thus  eluding  his  pursuers,  he  found  himself  in  a 
new  danger      He  had  got  w'thin  the  enemy's  pickets  I 


108         ARMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

He  had,  while  running,  torn  the  U.  S.  from  his  car^ 
tridge  box,  and  covered  his  belt  plate  with  his  cap 
box,  and  torn  the  stripes  from  his  pantaloons.  He  was 
challenged  by  their  sentinels,  while  making  his  way 
out,  and  answered,  giving  the  countersign,  " '  Mis- 
sissippi,' Second  Virginia  Regiment."  They  asked  him 
what  he  was  doing  there.  He  answered  that  the  boj's 
had  gone  off  on  a  scout  after  the  Yankees,  while  he  had 
been  detained  in  camp,  and  in  trying  to  find  them  had 
lost  his  way. 

As  he  passed  through,  to  prevent  further  questioning, 
he  said,  "  Our  boys  are  upon  the  ridge — which  is  the 
best  way  up?"  They  answered,  "Bear  to  the  left  and 
yc  1*11  find  it  easier  to  climb."  Soon,  however,  his  pur- 
su/^rs  were  again  after  him,  '^  breaking  brush  behind 
him,"  this  time  with  a  hound  on  his  trail.  He  made 
his  way  to  a  brook,  and  running  down  the  shallow 
stream  threw  the  dog  off  the  scent,  and,  as  the  day  was 
dawning,  came  suddenly  upon  four  pickets,  who  brought 
their  arms  to  a  ready,  and  challenged  him.  He  gave 
the  countersign,  "  Mississippi,"  and  claimed  to  belong  to 
the  Second  Virginia  Regiment.  They  asked  him  w^here 
he  got  that  belt  (his  cap  box  had  slipped  from  before 
his  belt-plate),  to  which  he  replied  that  he  had  captured 
it  that  night  from  a  Yankee.  They  told  him  to  advance, 
and,  as  he  approached,  he  recognized  their  accoutre 
ments,  and  knew  that  he  was  among  his  own  men,  a 
picket  guard  from  the  First  Kentucky. 

He  was  taken  before  Colonel  Enyart,  and  dismissed 
to  his  regiment.  He  said  his  plan  was  to  give  intima- 
tion to  the  reserves  of  their  advance,  that  they  might 
open  upon  them  on  their  left  flank,  and  so,  perhaps, 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         409 

How  Cheatham  Deceived  the  Illinois  Cavalry.— 
The  Cairo  correspondent  of  the  St.  Louis  Republican, 
in  1861,  visited  the  rebel  camp,  at  Columbus,  under  a 
flag  of  truce.  He  relates  the  following  story,  told  by  the 
rebel  General  Cheatham,  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
escaped  capture  at  the  battle  of  Belmont,  Missouri : 

Just  as  the  opposing  armies  were  approaching  one 
another.  General  Cheatham  discovered  a  squadron  of 
cavalry  coming  down  a  road  near  his  position.  Uncer- 
tain as  to  which  force  it  belonged,  accompanied  only  by 
an  orderly,  he  rode  up  to  within  a  few  yards  of  it  and 
inquired : 

"  What  cavalry  is  that?" 

•'  Illinois  cavalry,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

''Oh!  Illinois  cavalry.  All  right! — just  stay  where 
yoi.  are  !" 

The  cavalry  obeyed  the  rebel  order,  and  unmolested 
by  them  (who  supposed  he  was  a  Federal  officer)  the 
general  rode  back  safely  under  the  guns  of  another  Fed- 
eral regiment,  which  had  by  that  time  come  up,  but 
who,  seeing  him  coming  from  the  direction  of  the  cav- 
alry, also  supposed  that  he  was  "  one  of  them."  Some 
of  our  officers  remembered  the  incident,  and  agreed  with 
the  hero  of  it,  that,  if  they  had  known  who  he  was, 
tliere  would  have  been  one  rebel  general  less  that  night. 


One  Man  Capturing  a  Dozen. — During  one  of  the 
movements  made  by  the  Eleventh  Ohio,  at  the  battle 
of  South  Mountain,  to  drive  the  rebels  from  their  posi- 
tion, Colonel  Coleman  was  unfortunately  cut  off  from  the 
regiment,  and  on  emerging  from  a  dense  thicket  of  pine 


410         ARJTT   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

and  laurel  bushes,  found  himself  confronting  some  ten 
or  a  dozen  rebels,  having  in  charge  several  Union  soldiers 
as  prisoners.  In  an  instant  he  flourished  his  sword 
over  his  head,  dashed  right  at  them,  and,  in  a  stern, 
commanding  voice,  ordered  them,  in  no  very  complimen- 
tary terms,  to  surrender.  Down  went  every  gun,  and 
up  went  every  hand,  and,  ordering  them  to  fall  in,  he 
marched  them  within  the  lines — the  Union  boys  and 
rebels  having  meanwhile  changed  positions  considerably. 


"  Sold  Again." — A  scouting  party  of  the  Eleventh 
Ohio,  under  command  of  Captain  Jordan,  made  a  descent 
on  a  happy  company  of  the  chivalry  in  a  manner  which 
was  both  adroit  and  amusing.  The  captain  seeing  a 
bright  light  in  a  house  marched  his  party  to  within  a 
short  distance  of  it,  and  leaving  them  in  a  concealed 
place,  with  his  instructions  to  be  on  the  alert,  proceeded 
by  himself  to  reconnoitre  the  position.  On  approaching 
the  house,  he  discovered  that  the  light  was  from  a 
blazing  fire.  Walking  boldly  up  to  the  door,  but  shield- 
ing his  face  and  dress  from  the  glare  of  the  light,  he 
accosted  a  Confederate  soldier,  who,  at  that  moment, 
opened  the  door  and  looked  out.  Ascertaining  that  the 
house  was  full  of  rebels,  he  replied  to  an  invitation  to 
come  in  and  warm  himself,  by  saying  that  he  would,  as 
soon  as  he  had  hitched  his  horse.  Having  done  this,  he 
brought  up  his  men,  who  were  concealed  within  a  few 
rods.  Without  noise,  in  a  few  minutes  their  bayonets 
were  closed  around  the  house,  and  Captain  Jordan,  with 
revolver  in  hand,  sprang  into  the  centre  of  the  rebels, 
ordering  them  to  surrender  instantlv.     A  rifle  or  two 


arMy  life  in  camp,  field,  and  hospital.       4].1 

were  raised  at  him,  but  he,  with  great  coohiess,  laughed 
at  their  boldness.  Seeing  a  file  of  blue-coated  boys, 
with  guns  in  hand,  crowding  in  at  the  door,  and  several 
approaching  bayonets,  the  rebels  put  down  their  guns, 
and  raised  their  hands  in  token  of  surrender. 

'*  Pretty  well  done,  captain,"  said  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  picket  post,  as  this  turned  out  to  be. 

"  Yes,"  said  Jordan,  ''  we  always  do  things  pretty 
well.  Fall  in  her?,  and  keep  pretty  quiet  if  you  know 
what  is  good  for  you." 

"When  the  rebels,  after  surrendering  their  arms,  were 
marched  off,  and  beheld  the  very  inferior  force  to  which 
they  had  surrendered,  some  of  them  could  not  help 
muttering,  "  Sold  again  !" 


Cutting  Off  the  Supplies. — During  the  battle  of 
Chancellors ville,  just  as  we  were  starting  out  of  an  oak 
thicket,  a  solid  shot  from  the  enemy  instituted  a  search 
into  the  haversack  of  one  of  the  boys  of  Company  H, 
tearing  it  from  him  in  a  very  rude  manner,  and  throw- 
ing his  hard  tack  in  every  conceivable  direction.  At 
first  it  felled  him  to  the  earth,  but  finding  himself  unin- 
jured, he  rose  to  his  feet,  and,  looking  around,  said : 
"Hallo  !  the  d — d  villains  are  cuttmg  off  my  supplies!" 


Veterans  or  Militia?— At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg, 
when  Long.street  made  his  attack  on  the  Union  centre, 
the  Union  troops  were  behind  a  stone  wall.  The  rebels 
were  told  that  the  men  ahead  w^ere  only  militia,  and  so 
marclied  boldly  up.  When  v/ithin  thirty  yards  of  the 
Union  line  they  recognized  the  bronzed  features  of  their 


412         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

old  enemy,  and  the  cry  was  raised  :  ^^The  Army  of  the 
Potomac  /"  when  they  became  at  once  demoralized,  and 
were  cut  to  pieces.  Nearly  all  the  rebels  shot  in  the 
attack  on  the  centre  were  struck  in  the  head. 


"  Set  'em  up  on  t'other  Alley." — At  Antietam  our 
boys  (One-hundred-and-seventh  New  York  Volunteerfa) 
•supported  Cothern's  battery.  The  rebels  advanced  in  a 
eolid  mass.  One  of  our  boys,  a  sporting  character  from 
Elmira,  climbed  a  high  rock,  where  he  could  view  the 
whole  scene.  He  occupied  his  place  unmindful  of  the 
bullets  whizzing  like  bees  around  him.  The  rebels 
came  on  until  we  could  see  their  faces,  and  then 
Ccthern  poured  the  canister  into  them.  The  advancing 
column  was  literally  torn  to  pieces  by  the  fire.  Our 
friend  on  the  rock  grew  frantic  in  his  demonstrations 
of  delight,  and  as  one  of  the  battery  sections  sent  a 
schrapnel  which  mowed  down  a  long  line  of  Johnnies, 
he  swung  his  cap,  and  shouting  so  that  the  flying  rebels 
could  have  heard  him,  sung  out :  "  Bui — 1 — 1 — 1 — ee  I 
Set  'em  up  on  t'other  alley!" 


A  Little  Hero. — At  the  siege  of  Fort  Donelson,  a  boy 
of  eleven  years  of  age,  w^hose  father,  a  volunteer,  had 
been  taken  prisoner  by  the  rebels  at  Belmont,  smuggled 
himself  on  board  one  of  the  transports  at  Cincinnati, 
laden  with  troops  for  Fort  Donelson.  On  the  field,  on 
the  morning  of  the  great  fight,  he  joined  the  Seventy- 
Eighth  Ohio  Regiment,  and  being  questioned  by  one  of 
the  officers,  he  told  him  of  his  father  having  been  taken 
prisoner,  and  having  no  mother,  he  had  no  on*»  to  care 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAAIP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         413 

for  him,  and  wanted  to  fight  his  father's  captors.  The 
oflRcer  tried  to  persuade  him  to  turn  back,  but  he  was 
not  to  be  denied.  So  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  mus- 
ket and  went  into  the  thickest  of  the  battle.  He  theu 
crept  up  by  degrees  within  a  sliort  distance  of  the  rebel 
intrenchments,  and  posted  himself  behind  a  tree,  from 
which  he  kept  firing  as  often  as  he  could*  see  a  head  to 
fire  at.  He  was  soon  discovered  by  the  enemy's  sharp- 
shooters, who  endeavored  to  drive  him  away  from  hia 
position,  as  he  kept  picking  them  oflf  very  frequently. 
One  of  the  rebels  who  was  outside  of  the  work,  got  a 
?ight  on  the  boy  with  his  rifle,  but  before  he  could  dis- 
charge his  piece  the  little  warrior  fired,  and  down  went 
the  rebel.  As  this  rebel  had  a  fine  minie  rifle,  the  boy 
ran  out  and  picked  it  up ;  taking  time  to  get  pouch  and 
balls,  together  with  his  knapsack,  while  the  bullets  were 
flying  on  all  sides  of  him,  and  then  retreated  to  his 
wooden  breastwork,  where  he  renewed  his  fire  and  with 
better  success  than  before ;  and  after  being  in  the  fight 
all  day,  he  returned  to  the  Seventy-eighth  at  night  with 
his  prizes.  Many  of  the  members  of  that  regiment  saw 
the  gallant  conduct  of  the  Uttle  hero,  and  vouched  for 
the  truth  of  his  story. 


A  Brave  Irishman. — One  of  the  Indiana  regiments 
was  fiercely  attacked  by  a  whole  brigade,  in  one  of  the 
battles  in  Mississippi.  The  Indianians,  unable  to  with- 
stand such  great  odds,  were  compelled  to  fall  back  about 
thirty  or  forty  yards,  losing,  to  the  utter  mortification 
of  the  ofiicers  and  men,  their  flag,  which  remained  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Suddenly  a  tall  Irishman,  a 
private  in  the  color  company,  rushed  from  the  ranks 


414         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

across  the  vacant  ground,  attacked  the  squad  of  rebels 
who  had  possession  of  the  conquered  flag,  with  his 
musket  felled  several  to  the  ground,  snatched  the  flag 
from  them,  and  returned  safely  to  his  regiment.  The 
lx)ld  fellow  was,  of  course,  immediately  surrounded  by 
his  jubilant  comrades,  and  greatly  praised  for  his 
gallantry.  His  captain  made  him  a  sergeant  upon 
the  spot ;  but  the  hero  cut  every  thing  short  by  the 
reply : 

"  Oh !  never  mind,  captain — say  no  more  about  it.  I 
dropped  my  whiskey  flask  among  the  rebels,  and  fetched 
that  back,  and  I  thought  I  might  just  as  well  bring  tlie 
flag  along !" 


MORGAN'S  MEN 

AND     THE     SECESSIONISTS. 

In  Morgan's  rash  but  daring  raid  into  Indiana  and 
Ohio,  in  July,  1863,  his  band  of  guerillas,  after  they 
entered  Indiana,  plundered  right  and  left,  sparing  noth- 
ing they  could  render  available.  In  their  forays,  however, 
they  were  more  severe  upon  Northern  men  who  professed 
to  be  secessionists  than  upon  any  others,  despising  them 
for  their  meanness  and  treachery.  This  was  especially 
exemplified  at  Salem,  Indiana. 

After  Morgan  entered  the  town,  some  of  his  men  went 
ir  burn  the  bridges  and  water-tanks  on  the  railroad. 
They  captured  on  their  way  two  men,  one  of  whom  waa 
«  Quaker.     The  broad-brimmed  patriot  urged  that  he 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         415 

as  a  peuceable  citizen  attending  only  to  his  own  business, 
ought  not  to  be  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war. 

'*  But  are  you  not  hostile  to  the  Confederacy?** 

"  Thee  is  right.     I  am." 

"  Well,  you  voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  did  you  not?" 
'  Thee  is  right.     I  did  vote  for  Abraham." 

"  Well,  what  are  you  ?" 

"  Thee  may  naturally  suppose  that  I  am  a  Union 
man.     Can  thee  not  let  me  go  to  my  home  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes ;  go  and  take  care  of  the  old  woman,"  said 
the  rebel,  releasing  the  man,  whose  brave  and  honest 
truthfulness  won  the  respect  of  the  foe. 

The  other  captive  was  not  pleased  with  the  speedy  re- 
lease of  his  comrade  in  misfortune.  Turning  to  his 
captors  with  the  ignoble  and  malicious  spirit  which  has 
characterized  all  of  his  class,  he  said,  hoping  to  ingrati- 
ate himself  with  the  rebels  : 

"  Look  here  !  What  did  you  let  that  fellow  go  for  ? 
He  is  a  black  abolitionist.  Now  /voted  for  Breckinridge. 
I  have  always  been  opposed  to  the  war.  I  am  opposed 
to  fighting  the  South  decidedly T 

"  You  are  ?"  replied  the  rebel,  contemptuously.  "You 
are  what  they  call  about  here  a  Copperhead,  aren't  you  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  replied  the  Copperhead,  insinuatingly. 
"  That  is  what  all  my  neighbors  call  me.  They  know 
that  I  am  not  with  them." 

"  Come  here,  Dave !"  shouted  the  rebel  to  one  of  his 
comrades.  ''  There  is  a  Copperhead  !  Just  look  at  him  I 
Now,  old  man,"  continued  he,  turning  to  the  wretch, 
"where  do  you  live?  We  want  what  horses  you  have 
to  spare.  And  if  you  have  any  greenbacks  just  shell 
them  out;  that's  all!" 


416         ARMY   LITE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 


MY  CAPTURE  AND  ESCAPE  FROM   MOSBY. 

Captain  W.  W.  Badger,  Insjiector-General  of  Cavalry; 
LQ  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  thus  relates,  in  the 
United  States  Service  Ma^azviie,  the  story  of  his  capture 
by  Mosby's  guerillas,  tinJ  his  escape  from  them ; 

Belle,  my  favorite  mare,  neighed  impatiently  in  front  of 
my  tent,  just  as  the  bright  sunrise  of  early  autumn  was 
gilding  the  hill.  The  morning  was  cold  and  brillianv^ 
and  the  first  crisp  of  frost  had  just  sufficiently  stiffened 
the  sod  to  make  a  brisk  gallop  agreeable  to  both  rider 
and  horse. 

The  bold  Shenandoah  shook  the  icy  wrinkles  from 
its  morning  face,  and  rolled  smoothly  away  before  me 
into  the  gorgeous  forest  of  crimson  and  gold  below  Front 
Royal. 

It  is  the  day  of  the  regular  train,  and  a  thousand 
army  wagons  are  already  rolling  away  from  Sheridan's 
headquarters  down  the  famous  Valley  Pike,  to  bring 
food  and  raiment  to  a  shivering  and  hungry  army.  1 
spring  into  the  saddle,  and  Belle,  in  excellent  spirits, 
evidently  thinks  she  can  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of 
Mosby  or  any  other  guerilla  who  dares  follow  her  track. 
it  is  nine  miles  to  where  the  train  is  parked,  and  before 
I  arrive  there,  the  last  wagon  has  passed  out  of  sight, 
and  the  picket  gate  of  the  army  has  been  closed  for  an 
hour  behind  it.  My  orders  are  imperative  to  accompany 
this  train,  and  military  law  allows  of  no  dircretion 
With  a  single  orderly  and  my  colored  servant,  George 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         417 

Washington,  a  contraband^  commonly  called  Wash,  to 
constantly  remind  him  of  the  Christian  virtue  of  clean- 
liness, I  pass  out  into  the  guerilla-infested  country. 

It  is  but  an  hour's  work  to  overtake  the  train,  and 
mounted  as  I  am,  I  feel  great  contempt  for  guerillafl,  and 
inwardly  defy  any  of  them  to  catch  me,  as  I  give  Belle 
the  rein  and  dash  on  at  a  sweeping  gallop  till  I  come  in 
eight  of  the  train,  a  mile  ahead,  winding  it  way  through 
the  little  village  of  Newtown,  nine  miles  south  of  Win- 
chester. 

"Mosby  be  hanged!"  I  said  to  myself,  as  I  slacken 
speed  and  pass  leisurely  through  the  town,  noticing  the 
pretty  women,  who,  for  some  reason,  appear  in  unusual 
force  at  the  doors  and  windows,  and  one  or  two  of  whom 
wave  their  handkerchiefs  in  a  significant  manner,  which, 
however,  I  fail  to  understand,  and  ride  heedlessly  for^ 
ward.  Who  would  suppose  a  pretty  woman  waving  a 
handkerchief  to  be  a  sign  of  danger  ? 

Evidently  no  one  but  a  cynic  or  a  crusty  old  bache- 
lor, and,  as  I  am  neither,  I  failed  to  interpret  the  well- 
meant  warning. 

As  I  had  nearly  passed  the  town,  I  overtook  a  small 
party,  apparently  of  the  rear-guard  of  the  train,  who 
were  lighting  their  pipes  and  buying  cakes  and  apples 
at  a  small  grocery  on  the  right  of  the  pike,  and  who 
seemed  to  be  in  charge  of  a  non-commissioned  officer. 

"  Good-morning,  sergeant,"  I  said,  in  answer  to  his 
salute.  "  You  had  better  close  up  at  once.  The  train  is 
getting  well  ahead,  and  this  is  the  favorite  beat  of  Mosby,** 
"All  right,  sir,'  he  replied,  with  a  smile  of  peculiar 
intelligence,  and  nodding  to  his  men  they  mounted  at 
once  and  closed  in  behind  me,  while,  quite  to  my  sur- 
27 


41S         AKMY   LIFE    IX   CAMP,    FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

prise,  I  noticed  three  more  of  the  party,  whom  I  hat! 
not  before  seen,  in  front  of  me. 

An  instinct  of  danger  at  once  possessed  me.  I  saw 
nothing  to  justify  it,  but  I  felt  a  presence  of  evil  which 
I  could  not  shake  off.  The  men  were  in  Union  blue 
complete,  and  wore  in  their  caps  the  well  known  Greek 
cross,  which  distinguishes  the  gallant  Sixth  Corp,?. 
They  were  young,  intelligent,  cleanly,  and  good  looking 
soldiers,  armed  with  revolvers  and  Spencer's  repeating 
carbine. 

I  noticed  the  absence  of  sabres,  but  the  presence  of 
the  Spencer,  wdiich  is  a  comparatively  new  arm  in  our 
service,  re-assured  me,  as  I  thought  it  impossible  for  the 
enemy  to  be,  as  yet,  possessed  of  them. 

We  galloped  on  merrily,  and  just  as  I  was  ready  to 
laugh  at  ray  own  fears,  Wash,  who  had  been  ridmg 
behind  me,  and  had  heard  some  remark  made  by  the 
soldiers,  brushed  up  to  my  side,  and  whispered  through 
his  teeth,  chattering  with  fear,  "  Massa,  secesh  sure ! 
Run  like  de  debbel !" 

I  turned  to  look  back  at  these  words,  and  saw  six  car- 
bines levelled  at  me  at  twenty  paces'  distance;  and  the 
sergeant,  who  had  watched  every  motion  of  the  iiegro, 
came  riding  toward  me  with  his  revolver  drawn,  and  the 
sharp  command,  "  Halt — surrender  !" 

We  had  reached  a  low  place  where  the  Opequan 
Creek  crosses  the  pike  a  mile  from  Newtown.  The 
train  was  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead,  but  out  of  sight 
for  the  moment  over  the  next  ridge.  High  stone  walls 
lined  the  pike  on  either  side,  and  a  narrow  bridge  across 
the  stream  in  front  of  me  was  already  occupied  by  the 
three  rascals  who  had  acted  as  advance-guard,  who  now 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         419 

coolly  turned  round  and  presented  carbines  also  from 
rheir  point  of  view. 

I  remembered  the  military  maxim,  a  mounted  man 
should  never  surrender  until  his  horse  is  disabled,  and 
hesitated  an  instant  considering  what  to  do,  and  quite 
m  doubt  whether  I  was  myself,  or  some  other  fellow 
whom  had  read  of  as  captured  and  hung  by  guerillas; 
but  at  the  repetition  of  the  sharp  command  "  Surrender  '' 

with  the  addition  of  the   polite  words,   "you  d ^ 

iaukee  son  of  a  b h,"  aided  by  the  somewhat  dis- 

agreeable  presence  of  the  revolver  immediately  in  mv 
face,  I  concluded  I  was  undoubtedly  the  other  fellow 
and  surrendered  accordingly.  ' 

My  sword  and  revolver  were  taken  at  once  bv  the 
sergeant,  who  proved  to  be  Lieutenant  C.  F.  Whiting,  of 
Clark  County,  Virginia,  in  disguise,  and  who  remarked 
laughmg,  as  he  took  them,  "We  closed  up,  captain,  a^ 
you  directed;  as  this  is  a  favorite  beat  of  Mosby's  I 
hope  our  drill  was  satisfactory."  ' 

"All  right,  sergeant,"  I  replied.  "  Every  dog  has  his 
day,  and  yours  happens  to  come  now.  You  hove 
sneaked  upon  me  in  a  cowardly  way,  disguised  as  a  spy, 
and  possibly  my  turn  may  come  to-morrow  " 

"  Your  turn  to  be  hung,"  he  replied.  And  then,  as  we 
humed  along  a  wood  path  down  the  Opequan,  he  told 
me  with  great  satisfaction,  how  they  had  lain  in  ambush 
m  expectation  of  catching  some  stragglers  from  our 
tram,  and  seeing  me  coming,  had  reached  the  little 
grocery  from  the  woods  behind  it,  just  in  time  to  appear 
as  belon^ng  to  our  party;  that  Mosby  was  three  miles 
back,  w.th  a  hundred  men,  and  I  should  soon  have  the 
nonor  of  feeing  him  in  person 


420         ARMY   I-IFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

They  were  a  jolly,  good-natured  set  of  fellows,  who 
evidently  thought  they  had  done  a  big  thing ;  and  as  I 
scanned  them  more  closely,  the  only  distinction  in  ap- 
pearance between  them  and  our  soldiers  which  I  cnuld 
discover,  was  that  the  Greek  cross  on  their  caps  was 
embroidered  in  yellow  worsted. 

I  was  offered  no  further  indignity  or  insult,  and  was 
allowed  to  ride  my  own  horse  for  the  present,  though  1 
was  quietly  informed  on  the  way  that  Mosby  had 
threatened  to  hang  the  first  officer  he  should  catch,  in 
retaliation  for  his  men  who  had  been  hung  as  guerillas 
at  Front  Eoyal,  and  that  I  would  undoubtedly  be  the 
unfortunate  individual. 

With  this  consoling  information  T  was  ushered  into 
the  presence  of  the  great  modern  highwayman,  John  S. 
Mosby,  then  lieutenant-colonel  C.  S.  A. 

He  stood  a  little  apart  from  his  men,  by  the  side  of 
a  splendid  gray  horse,  with  his  right  hand  grasping  the 
bridle-rein,  the  forearm  resting  on  the  pommel  of  his 
saddle,  his  left  arm  akimbo,  and  his  right  foot  thrown 
across  the  left  ankle  and  resting  on  its  toe.  He  is  a 
slight,  medium-sized  man,  sharp  of  feature,  quick  of 
sight,  lithe  of  limb,  with  a  bronzed  face  of  the  color  and 
tension  of  whip-cord ;  his  hair  a  yellow-brown,  with 
full  but  light  beard,  and  mustache  of  the  same.  A 
straight  Grecian  nose,  firni-set  expressive  mouth,  large 
ears,  deep-groy  eyes,  high  forehead,  large  well-shaped 
head,  and  his  whole  expression  denoting  hard  services, 
energy,  and  love  of  whiskey. 

He  Avore  top-boots,  and  a  civilian's  overcoat — black, 
lined  with  red — and  beneath  it  the  complete  gray  uni- 
form of  a  Confederate  lieutenant-colonel,  with  its  two 


ARMT   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         421 

.jtdt^  on  the  sides  of  the  standing  collar,  and  the  whole 
surmounted  by  the  inevitable  slouched  hat  of  the  whole 
Southern  race.  His  men  were  about  half  in  blue  and 
half  in  butternut. 

He  scarcely  noticed  me  as  I  approached,  but  fixed 
his  gaze  on  the  noble  animal  I  rode,  as  evidently  the 
more  valuable  prize  of  the  two.  As  £  dismounted,  he 
said  to  his  servant,  "Dick,  take  that  horse;"  and  I 
knew  the  time  had  come  when  I  must  part  with  my 
beautiful  Belle,  whom  I  had  rode  nearly  three  years, 
through  many  a  bloody  field  and  hair's-breadth  escape, 
and  who  loved  me  with  an  almost  human  love.  Twice 
during  the  last  three  miles,  as  I  came  to  a  space  of  open 
country,  had  I  resolved  to  dash  away  and  trust  to  her 
nimble  feet  to  distance  their  deadly  rifles — and  twice 
the  sweet  faces  of  home  had  appeared  to  scare  me  back 
to  propriety. 

Ah  !  what  will  a  man  not  endure  for  the  sweet  faces 
of  home  ?  Beware  of  tender  ties,  you  who  aspire  to 
deeds  of  desperate  daring!  For,  although  ennobling 
and  inspiring  to  all  that  is  duty,  you  will  be  either  more 
or  less  than  man  if  they  fail  to  compel  you  to  prudence 
wherever  there  is  a  choice  of  action  left.  I  could  not 
refrain  from  throwing  my  arms  around  Belle's  neck,  and 
tenderly  caressing  her  for  the  last  time  before  she  was 
led  away. 

The  lieutenant  ventured  to  protest  against  Mosby*s 
appropriating  the  mare  to  himself,  without  an  apportion- 
ment and  division  of  her  value,  in  accordance  with  the 
rules  of  the  gang ;  but  he  was  promptly  silenced,  and 
ordered  to  content  himself  with  his  choice  of  the  other 
two  horses  he  had  captured — which  he  immediately  did 


422         ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMV,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

l»y  taking  both  of  them.  While  this  colloquy  was  pass- 
ing, Mosby  was  quietly  examining  my  papers,  which 
had  been  taken  from  my  pocket  on  my  arrival ;  and 
presently,  looking  up  witl  a  peculiar  gleam  of  satisfac- 
tion on  his  face,  he  said  : 

"  Oh,  Captain   B !    inspection-general  of 's 

cavalry  ?  Good  morning,  captain — glad  to  see  you,  sir ! 
Indeed,  there  is  but  one  man  I  would  prefer  to  see  this 
morning  to  yourself,  and  that  is  your  commander. 
Were  you  present,  sir,  the  other  day,  at  the  hanging  of 
eight  of  my  men  as  guerillas  at  Front  Royal  ?" 

This  question  pierced  me  like  a  sword,  as  I  really  had 
been  present  at  the  terrible  scene  he  mentioned.  And 
although  I  had  used  my  full  influence,  even  to  incurring 
the  charge  of  timidity,  in  attempting  to  save  the  lives 
of  the  wretched  men,  believing  that  retaliation  would 
be  the  only  result,  I  could  not  show  that  fact,  and 
doubted  if  it  would  avail  me  aught  if  1  could. 

I  therefore  answered  him  firmly :  *'  I  was  present, 
sir,  and,  like  you,  have  only  to  regret  that  it  was  not 
the  commander,  instead  of  his  unfortunate  men." 

This  answer  seemed  to  please  Mosby,  for  he  appa- 
rently expected  a  denial.  He  assumed  a  grim  smile, 
and  directed  Lieutenant  Whiting  to  search  me.  My 
gold  hunting  watch  and  chain,  several  rings,  a  set  of 
shirt  studs  and  buttons,  some  coins,  a  Masonic  pin,  and 
about  three  hundred  dollars  in  greenbacks,  v/ith  some 
letters  and  pictures  of  the  dear  ones  at  home,  and  a 
email  pocket  Bible,  were  taken. 

A  board  of  officers  was  assembled  to  appraise  their 
value,  also  that  of  my  clothing,  and  to  determine  the 
ownership  of  each  of  the  articles — the  rules  of  the  gang 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         423 

requiring  that  all  captures  shall  be  thus  disposed  of,  or 
Bold,  and  their  value  distributed  proportionately  among 
the  captors. 

My  boots  were  appraised  at  six  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  in  Confederate  money ;  my  watch  at  three  thou- 
sand; and  the  other  articlet*  in  the  same  proportion, 
including  my  poor  old  servant  Wash,  who  was  put  up 
and  raffled  for  at  two  thousand  dollars.  Wash  was  very 
indignant  that  he  should  be  thought  worth  only  two 
thousand  dollars  Confederate  money,  and  informed  them 
that  he  considered  himself  quite  un appreciable;  and  that, 
among  other  accomplishments,  he  could  make  the  best 
milk  punch  of  any  man  in  the  Confederacy — and,  if 
they  had  the  materials,  he  would  like  to  try  a  little  of 
it  now.  This  hit  at  the  poverty  of  their  resources 
raised  a  laugh ;  and  Mosby's  man  Dick,  to  show  that 
they  had  the  materials,  offered  Wash  a  drink — which, 
quite  to  my  surprise,  and  doubtless  to  that  of  his  own 
stomach  also,  he  stubbornly  refused.  On  asking  him 
privately  why  he  refused,  he  replied :  ''  You  know, 
massa,  too  much  freeder  breeds  despise !" 

When  all  this  was  concluded,  Mosby  took  me  one 
side,  and  returned  to  me  the  Bible,  letters,  and  pictures, 
and  the  Masonic  pin,  saying  quietly,  as  he  did  so,  allud- 
ing to  the  latter  with  a  significant  sign : 

"  You  may  as  well  keep  this  ;  it  may  be  of  use  to  you 
somewhere.  Some  of  my  men  pay  some  attention  to 
that  sort  of  thing.  Your  people  greatly  err  in  thinking 
us  merely  guerillas.  Every  man  of  mine  is  a  duly  enlisted 
soldier,  and  detailed  to  my  command  from  various  Con- 
federate regiments.  They  are  merely  picked  men, 
selected  from  the  whole  army  for  their  intelligence  and 


424  ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL 

courage.  We  plunder  the  enemy,  as  the  rules  of  war 
clearly  allow.  To  the  victors  belong  the  spoils,  has 
been  a  maxim  of  war  in  all  ages.  I  can  hang  two  for 
one  all  the  year  round,  if  your  men  insist  upon  it;  but  1 
liope  soon  to  have  a  better  understanding.  I  3'esterday 
executed  eight  of  your  poor  fellows  on  the  valley  pike, 
your  highway  of  travel,  in  retaliation  for  my  men  hung 
at  Front  Royal ;  and  I  have  to-day  written  to  General 
Sheridan,  informing  him  of  it,  and  proposing  a  cessation 
of  such  horrible  work,  which  every  true  soldier  cannot 
but  abhor.     I  sincerely  hope  he  will  assent  to  it." 

I  thanked  him  warmly  for  his  kindness,  as  I  took  his 
offered  hand  with  a  grip  known  all  the  world  over  to 
the  brethren  of  the  mystic  tie,  and  really  began  to  think 
Mosby  almost  a  gentleman  and  a  soldier,  although  he 
had  just  robbed  me  in  the  most  approved  manner  of 
modern  highwaymen. 

The  sun  was  now  approaching  the  meridian,  and  im- 
mediate preparations  were  made  for  the  long  road  to 
Richmond  and  the  Libby.  A  guard  of  fifteen  men,  in 
command  of  Lieutenant  Whiting,  was  detailed  as  our 
escort;  and  accompanied  by  Mosby  himself,  we  started 
directly  across  the  country,  regardless  of  roads,  in  an 
easterly  direction,  toward  the  Shenandoah  and  the  Blue 
Ridge.  We  were  now  in  company  of  nine  more  of 
our  men,  who  had  been  taken  at  different  times,  making 
eleven  of  our  party  in  all,  besides  the  indignant  contra^ 
band,  Wash,  whom  it  was  also  thought  prudent  to  send 
to  the  rear  for  safe  keeping. 

I  used  every  effort  to  gain  the  acquaintance  and  confi- 
dence of  these  men,  and  by  assuming  a  jolly  and  reck- 
less  manner,  I   succeeded   in    drawing   them   out  and 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         425 

satisfying  myself  tliat  some  of  them  could  be  depended 
on  in  any  emergency.  I  had  determined  to  escape  if 
even  half  an  opportunity  should  present  itself,  and 
the  boys  were  quick  in  understanding  my  purpose 
and  intimating  their  readiness  to  risk  their  lives  in  the 
attempt. 

Two  of  them,  in  particular — George  W.  McCauley, 
of  Western  Virginia,  commonly  known  as  Mack,  and 
one  Brown,  of  Blaser's  scouts — afterward  proved  them- 
selves heroes  of  the  truest  metal. 

We  journeyed  rapidly,  making  light  of  our  misfor- 
tunes, and  cracking  many  a  joke  with  our  rebel  guard, 
until  we  reached  Howittsville,  on  the  Shenandoah,  nine 
miles  below  Front  Royal,  where  we  bivouacked  for  the 
night  in  an  old  school-house,  sole  relic  left  of  a  former 
civilization.  It  is  an  old,  unpainted  two  story  building, 
with  wooden  blinds  nailed  shut,  and  seems  to  have  been 
fitted  up  by  Mosby  as  a  kind  of  way  station,  in  which 
to  camp  with  his  stranger  guests.  Many  a  sad  heart, 
more  hopeless  and  broken  than  our's,  has  doubtless 
throbbed  restless  on  its  naked  floors,  with  premonitions 
of  the  dreary  Libby.  All  of  the  guard  confirmed  Mos- 
by's  statement  as  to  the  organization  of  his  band  and 
the  execution  of  our  men  the  day  previous ;  and  his 
letter  to  Sheridan  in  regard  to  it  has  since  been  published, 
and  certainly  speaks  for  itself  of  the  business-like  habita 
of  its  author. 

Our  party  of  eleven  were  assigned  to  one  side  of  the 
lower  floor  of  the  school-house,  where  we  lay  down  side 
by  side,  with  our  heads  to  the  wall,  and  our  feet  nearly 
touching  the  feet  of  the  guard,  who  lay  in  the  same 
manner,  opposite  to  us,  with  their  heads  to  the  other 


426         ARMY   LIFE   IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AN'D   HOSFITAL. 

wall,  except  three  who  formed  a  relief  guard  for  thtj 
sentrj'^'s  post  at  the  door.  Above  the  heads  of  the  guard, 
along  the  wall,  ran  a  low  school  desk,  on  which  each 
man  of  them  stood  his  carbine  and  laid  his  revolver 
before  disposing  himself  to  sleep.  A  fire  before  the  door 
dimly  lighted  the  room,  and  the  scene  as  they  dropped 
gradually  to  sleep  was  warlike  in  the  extreme,  and 
made  a  Rembrandt  picture  on  my  memory  which  will 
never  be  effiiced. 

I  had  taken  care,  on  lying  down,  to  place  myself 
between  McCauley  and  Brown,  and  the  moment  the 
rebels  began  to  snore  and  the  sentry  to  nod  over  his  pipe, 
we  were  in  earnest  and  deep  conversation.  McCauley 
proposed  to  unite  our  party  and  make  a  simultaneous 
rush  for  the  carbines,  and  take  our  chances  of  stamped- 
ing the  guard  and  making  our  escape  ^  but  on  passing 
the  whisper  quietly  along  our  line,  only  three  men  were 
found  willing  to  assent  to  it.  As  the  odds  were  so  largely 
against  us,  it  was  useless  to  urge  the  subject. 

The  intrepid  McCauley  then  proposed  to  go  himself 
alone  in  the  darkness  among  the  sleeping  rebels,  and 
bring  over  to  our  party  every  revolver  and  every  car- 
bine before  any  alarm  should  be  given,  if  we  would  only 
use  the  weapons  when  placed  in  our  hands ;  but  again 
timidity  prevailed,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  myself 
hesitated  before  this  hardy  courage,  and  refused  to  peril 
the  brave  boy's  life  in  so  rash  a  venture,  as  a  single  false 
Btep  or  the  least  alarm,  in  favor  of  which  the  chances 
were  as  a  thousand  to  one,  would  have  been  to  him,  and 
probably  to  all  of  us,  instant  death. 

I  forbade  the  attempt,  but  could  not  help  clasping 
the  brave  fellow  to  my  heart,  and  kissing  him  like  a 


ARilY   LIFE   IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         427 

brother  for  the  noble  heroism  of  which  he  was  evidently 
made.  He  was  a  fair  boy  of  but  eighteen  summers, 
with  soft  black  eyes,  and  a  rosy,  round  face  as  smooth 
and  delicate  as  a  girl's,  with  a  noble  forehead  and  an 
unusually  intelligent  countenance.  I  had  picked  him 
out  at  first  sight  as  a  hero,  and  every  hour  was  increas- 
I'ng  my  admiration  of  him.  He  slept  in  my  arms  at  last, 
as  the  long  night  wore  away,  till  the  morning  broke  dull 
and  rainy,  finding  us  exhausted  and  thoroughly  wretched 
and  despondent. 

The  march  began  at  an  early  hour,  and  our  route  ran 
directly  up  the  Blue  Ridge.  We  had  emerged  from  the 
forest  and  ascended  about  one  third  the  height  of  the 
mountain,  when  the  full  valley  became  visible,  spread 
out  like  a  map  before  us,  showing  plainly  the  lines  of 
our  army,  its  routes  of  supply,  its  foraging  parties  out, 
and  my  own  camp  at  Front  Royal  as  distinctly  as  if  we 
stood  in  one  of  its  streets.  We  now  struck  a  wood  path 
running  southward  and  parallel  with  the  ridge  of  the 
mountain,  along  which  we  travelled  for  hours,  with  this 
wonderful  panorama  of  forest  and  river,  mountain  and 
plain,  before  us  in  all  the  gorgeous  beauty  of  the  early 
autumn. 

"  This  is  a  favorite  promenade  of  mine,"  said  Mosby. 
"I  love  to  see  your  people  sending  out  their  almost 
daily  raids  after  me.  There  comes  one  of  them  now 
almost  toward  us.  If  you  please,  we  will  step  behind 
this  point  and  see  them  pass.  It  may  be  the  last  sighi 
you  will  have  of  your  old  friends  for  some  time." 

The  coolness  of  this  speech  enraged  me,  and  yet  I 
could  not  help  admiring  the  quiet  and  unostentatioua 
audacity  which  seemed  to  be  the  prominent  character- 


428         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

istic  of  its  author.  I  could  hardly  restrain  an  impulse 
to  rush  upon  him  and 

"  Try  this  quarrel  hilt  to  hilt," 

but  the  important  fact  that  I  had  not  a  hilt  even,  while 
he  wore  two  revolvers,  restrained  me,  and  looking  in 
the  direction  he  pointed,  I  distinctly  saw  a  squadron  of 
my  own  regiment  coming  directly  toward  us  on  a  road 
running  under  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  apparently 
on  some  foraging  expedition  down  the  valley.  They 
passed  within  a  half  mile  of  us  under  the  mountain,  and 
Mosby  stood  with  folded  arms  on  a  rock  above  them, 
the  very  picture  of  stoical  pride  and  defiance,  or,  as 
Mack  whispered : 

"Like  patience  on  a  monument  smiling  at  grief.*' 

We  soon  moved  on,  and  before  noon  reached  the  road 
running  through  Manassas  Gap,  which  place  we  found 
held  by  about  one  hundred  of  Mosby's  men,  who  sig- 
nalled him  as  he  approached ;  and  here,  much  to  my 
regret,  the  great  chieftain  left  us,  bidding  me  a  kindly 
good-by,  and  informing  me  that  my  last  hope  of  rescue 
or  escape  was  now  gone. 

We  were  hurried  on  through  the  gap  and  down  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  mountain,  and  turning  southward, 
in  a  few  hours  passed  Chester  Gap,  finding  it  also  occi> 
pied  by  Mosby's  men  in  force,  and  we  were  only  able 
to  approach  it  after  exchanging  the  proper  signals. 

This  gave  me  an  idea  of  how  Mosby  conducts  his 
raids  so  successfully,  by  leaving  a  garrison  in  each  of 
the  gaps  behind  him  before  he  ventures  far  into  the 
valley.  These  garrisons  he  can  concentrate  at  any  de^ 
sired  point  by  signals  almost  in  an  hour,  and  any  of 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         429 

them  can  communicate  with  him  from  the  mountain 
toY>6  to  any  part  of  the  valley,  and  either  warn  him  of 
danger  or  direct  him  where  to  strike.  If  pursued,  he 
has  but  to  retreat  in  such  a  direction  as  to  draw  his 
pursuers  on  to  this  reserve  force,  which  he  concentrates 
in  some  strong  position,  or  in  ambush,  at  his  pleasure, 
and  develops  with  fresh  horses  just  as  his  pursuers  are 
exhausted  with  the  long  chase.  He  is  thus  enabled, 
with  iibout  five  hundred  picked  men,  to  remain,  as  he 
has  been  for  two  years  past,  the  terror  of  the  valley. 

After  passing  Chester  Gap,  we  descend  into  the  valley 
and  move  toward  Sperryville,  on  the  direct  line  to 
Richmond,  the  last  gate  of  hope  seeming  to  close  behind 
us  as  we  leave  the  mountains.  Our  guard  is  now  re- 
duced, as  we  are  far  within  the  Confederate  lines,  to 
Lieutenant  Whiting  and  three  men,  well  mounted  and 
doubly  armed,  and  our  party  of  eleven  prisoners  have 
seven  horses  to  distribute  among  us  as  we  please,  so 
that  four  of  us  are  constantly  dismounted.  There  is 
also  a  pack-horse  carrying  our  forage,  rations,  and  some 
blankets.  To  the  saddle  of  this  pack-horse  are  strapped 
two  Spencer  carbines,  muzzle  downward,  with  their 
accoutrements  complete,  including  two  well  filled  car 
tridge  boxes. 

I  called  Mack's  attention  to  this  fact  as  soon  as  the 
guard  was  reduced,  and  he  needed  no  second  hint  to 
comprehend  its  significance  at  once.  He  soon  after  dis- 
mounted, and  when  it  came  his  turn  again  to  mount, 
he  secured,  apparently  by  accident,  the  poorest  and 
most  broken  down  horse  in  the  party,  with  which  he 
appeared  to  find  it  very  difficult  to  keep  up,  and  which 
he  actually  succeeded  ia  some  mysterious  way  in  laming. 


130         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

He  then  dropped  back  to  the  lieutenant  in  charge, 
and  modestly  asked  to  exchange  his  lame  horse  for  the 
pack-horse,  and  being  particularly  frank  in  his  address, 
his  request  was  at  once  granted,  without  a  suspicion  of 
^ts  object,  or  a  thought  of  the  fatal  carbines  on  the  pack- 
saddle.  I  used  some  little  skill  in  diverting  the  atten- 
tion of  the  lieutenant  while  the  pack  was  readjusted; 
and  as  the  rain  had  now  begun  to  fall  freely,  no  one  of 
the  guard  was  particularly  alert. 

I  was  presently  gratified  with  the  sight  of  Mack  riding 
Nhead  on  the  pack-horse,  with  the  two  carbines  still 
strapped  to  the  saddle,  but  loosened  and  well  concealed 
by  his  heavy  pondio,  which  he  had  spread  as  protection 
from  the  rain. 

These  carbines  are  seven-shooters,  and  load  from  the 
breech  by  simply  drawing  out  from  the  hollow  stock  a 
spiral  spring  and  dropping  in  the  seven  cartridges,  one 
after  the  other,  and  then  inserting  the  spring  again  be- 
hind them,  which  coils  as  it  is  pressed  home,  and  by  its 
clasticitj^  forces  the  cartridges  forward,  one  at  a  time, 
into  the  barrel,  at  the  successive  movements  of  the  lock. 

I  could  see  the  movement  of  Mack's  right  arm  by  the 
shape  into  which  it  threw  the  ponclio  ;  and  while  guid- 
ing his  horse  with  his  left,  looking  the  other  way  and 
chatting  glibly  with  the  other  boys,  I  saw  him  carefully 
draw  the  springs  from  those  carbines  with  his  right  hand 
and  hook  them  into  the  upper  button-hole  of  his  coat  tc 
support  them,  while  he  dropped  in  the  cartridges  one 
after  another,  trotting  his.  horse  at  the  time  to  conceal 
the  noise  of  their  click,  and  finally  forcing  down  the 
springs  and  looking  round  at  me  with  a  look  of  the 
fiercest  triumph  and  heroism  I  have  ever  beheld. 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         431 

I  nodded  approval,  and  fearing  he  would  precipitate 
matters,  3-et  knowing  that  any  instant  might  lead  to 
discovery  and  be  too  late,  I  rode  carelessly  across  the 
road  to  Brown,  who  was  on  foot,  and  dismounting,  asked 
him  to  tighten  my  girth,  during  which  operation  I  told 
him  as  quietl}^  as  possible  the  position  of  affairs,  and  asked 
him  to  get  up  gradually  by  the  side  of  Mack,  communi- 
cate with  him,  and  at  a  signal  from  me  to  seize  one  of 
the  carbines  and  do  his  duty  as  a  soldier  if  he  valued 
his  liberty. 

Brown,  though  a  plucky  fellow,  was  of  quite  a  diffei 
ent  quality  from  Mack.     He  was  terribly  frightened, 
and  trembled  like  a  leaf,  yet  went  immediately  to  hi^ 
post,  and  I  did  not  doubt  would  do  his  duty  well. 

I  rode  up  again  to  the  side  of  Lieutenant  Whiting, 
and  like  an  echo  from  the  past  came  back  to  me  my 
words  of  yesterday,  "  Possibly  my  turn  may  come  to- 
morrow." I  engaged  him  in  conversation,  and  among 
other  things  spoke  of  the  prospect  of  sudden  death  as 
one  always  present  in  our  army  life,  and  the  tendency 
it  had  to  either  harden  or  ameliorate  the  character  ac- 
cording to  the  quality  of  the  individual.  He  expressed 
the  opinion  which  many  hold  that  a  brutal  man  is  made 
more  brutal  by  it,  and  a  refined  and  cultivated  man  is 
softened  and  made  more  refined  by  it. 

I  scanned  the  country  closely  for  the  chances  of 
.escape  if  we  should  succeed  in  gaining  our  liberty ;  I 
knew  that  to  fail  or  to  be  recaptured  would  be  instant 
death,  and  the  responsibility  of  risking  the  lives  of  the 
whole  party,  as  well  as  my  own,  was  oppressing  me 
bitterly.  I  also  had  an  instinctive  horror  of  the  shedding 
of  blood,  as  it  were,  with  my  own  hands,  and  the  sweet 


432         ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

faces  of  home  were  lidunting  me  again,  but  this  time, 
strange  to  say,  urging  me  on,  and  apparently  crying 
aloud  for  vengeance. 

We  were  on  the  immediate  flank  of  Early's  army. 
His  cavalry  was  all  around  us.  The  road  was  thickly 
inhabited.  It  was  almost  night.  We  had  passed  a  reljel 
picket  but  a  mile  back,  and  knew  not  how  near  anothei 
of  their  camps  might  be.  The  three  rebel  guards  were 
riding  in  front  of  us  and  on  our  left  flank,  our  party  of 
prisoners  was  in  the  centre,  and  I  was  by  the  side  of 
Lieutenant  Whiting,  who  acted  as  rear-guard,  when  we 
entered  a  small  copse  of  willow  which  for  a  moment 
covered  the  road. 

The  hour  was  propitious ;  Mack  looked  round  impa- 
tiently;  I  wove  the  fatal  signal,  "  Now's  the  time,  boys," 
into  a  story  of  our  charge  at  Winchester,  which  I  waa 
telling  to  distract  attention,  and  at  the  moment  of  its 
utterance  threw  myself  upon  the  lieutenant,  grasping 
him  around  the  arms  and  dragging  him  from  his  horse, 
in  the  hope  of  securing  his  revolver,  capturing  him,  and 
compelling  him  to  pilot  us  outside  of  the  rebel  line. 

At  the  word,  Mack  raised  one  of  the  loaded  carbines, 
and  in  less  time  than  I  can  write  it,  shot  two  of  the 
guard  in  front  of  him,  killing  them  instantly ;  and  then 
coolly  turning  in  his  saddle,  and  seeing  me  struggling 
in  the  road  with  the  lieutenant,  and  the  chances  of  ob 
taining  the  revolver  apparently  against  me,  he  raised 
the  carbine  the  third  time,  and  as  I  strained  the  now 
desperate  rebel  to  my  breast,  with  his  livid  face  over  my 
left  shoulder,  he  shot  him  as  directly  between  the  eyea 
as  he  could  have  done  if  firing  at  a  target  at  ten  paces* 
distance.     The  bullet  went  crashing  through  his  skull, 


ARMY   LIFE   IX   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         433 

the  hot  blood  spirted  from  his  mouth  and  nostrils  into 
my  face,  his  hold  relaxed,  and  his  ghastly  corpse  fell  from 
my  anus,  leaving  an  impression  of  horror  and  soul-sick- 
uess  which  can  never  be  effaced. 

I  turned  around  in  alarm  at  our  now  desperate  situsr 
tion,  and  saw  Mack  quietly  smiling  at  me,  with  the 
remark  : 

"  Golly,  cap !  I  could  have  killed  five  or  six  more  of 
them  as  well  as  not.  This  is  a  bully  carbine ;  I  think 
I  will  take  it  home  with  me." 

Brown  had  not  accomplished  so  much.  He  had  seized 
the  second  carbine  at  the  word,  and  fired  at  the  third 
guard  on  our  flank;  but  his  aim  was  shaky,  and  he  had 
only  wounded  his  man  in  the  side,  and  allowed  him  to 
escape  to  the  front,  where  he  was  now  seen  half  a  mile 
away,  at  full  speed,  and  firing  his  pistols  to  alarm  the 
country. 

Our  position  was  now  perilous  in  the  extreme ;  not  a 
man  of  us  knew  the  country,  except  its  most  general 
outlines.  The  rebel  camps  could  not  be  far  away  ;  dark- 
ness was  intervening;  the  whole  country  would  be 
alarmed  in  an  hour ;  and  I  doubted  not  that  before  sun- 
down even  bloodhounds  would  be  on  our  track.  One 
half  of  our  party  had  already  scattered,  panic-stricken, 
at  the  first  alarm,  and,  every  man  for  himself,  were 
scouring  the  country  in  every  direction. 

But  five  remained,  including  the  faithful  Wash,  who 
inmiediately  shows  his  practical  qualities  by  searching 
the  bodies  of  the  slain,  and  recovering  therefrom,  among 
other  things,  my  gold  hunting  watch  from  the  person  of 
Lieutenant  Whiting,  and  over  eleven  hundred  dollars  in 
28 


434         AEMT   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

greenbacks,  the  proceeds,  doubtless,  of  their  various 
robberies  of  our  men. 

"Not  quite  'nuff,"  said  Wash,  showing  his  ivories 
from  ear  to  ear.  "  Dey  vally  dis  nigger  at  two  tousand 
dollers — I  think  I  ought  ter  git  de  money." 

We  instantly  mounted  the  best  horses,  and,  well 
armed  with  carbines  and  revolvers,  struck  directly  for 
the  mountain  on  our  right;  but  knowing  that  would 
be  the  first  place  where  we  should  be  sought  for,  we  soon 
changed  our  direction  to  the  south,  and  rode  for  hours 
directly  into  the  enemy's  country  as  fast  as  we  could 
ride,  and  before  complete  darkness  intervened,  we  had 
made  thirty  miles  from  the  place  of  our  escape ;  and 
then,  turning  sharp  up  the  mountain,  we  pushed  our 
exhausted  horses  as  far  as  they  could  climb ;  and  then 
abandoning  them,  we  toiled  on,  on  foot,  all  night,  to  the 
very  summit  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  whence  we  could  see 
the  rebel  camp  fires,  and  view  their  entire  lines  and 
position  just  as  daylight  was  breaking  over  the  valley. 

We  broke  down  twigs  from  several  trees  in  line  to 
determine  the  points  of  compass  and  the  direction  of  the 
rebel  forces  and  pickets  after  it  should  be  light,  and  then 
crawled  into  a  thicket  to  rest  our  exhausted  frames  and 
await  the  return  of  friendly  darkness  in  which  to  con- 
tinue our  flight. 

The  length  of  this  weary  day,  and  the  terrible  pangs 
of  hunger  and  thirst  which  we  suffered  on  this  barren 
mountain,  pertain  to  the  more  common  experience  of  a 
soldier's  life,  and  I  need  not  describe  them  here. 

Neither  will  I  narrate,  in  detail,  how  some  of  oui 
party  who  scattered  arrived  in  camp  before  us,  and  how 
one  feeble  old  man  was  recaptured  and  killed,  nor  oui 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         435 

Ljpeless  despair  as  day  after  day  we  saw  the  mountain 
alive  with  rehel  scouts  sent  out  for  our  capture,  and  at 
night  bhizing  with  their  picket  fires ;  and  how  we  even 
ate  a  poor  little  dog  which  had  followed  our  fortunes  to 
his  untimely  end,  and  were  thinking  seriously  of  eating 
the  negro  Wash,  when  he,  to  save  himself  from  so  un- 
savory a  fiite,  ventured  down  in  the  darkness  to  a  corn- 
field, and  brought  us  up  three  ears  of  corn  apiece,  which 
we  ate  voraciously ;  and  how  we  had  to  go  still  farther 
south  and  abandon  the  mountain  altogether,  to  avoid 
the  scouts  and  pickets ;  and  how  we  finally  struck  the 
Shenandoah,  twenty  miles  to  the  rear  of  Early's  army, 
and  there  built  a  raft  and  floated  by  night  forty  miles 
down  that  memorable  stream,  through  his  crafty  pickets, 
and  thereafter  passed  for  rebel  scouts,  earnestly  "looking 
for  Yanks"  until  we  found  them,  and  the  glorious  old 
flag  once  more  welcomed  us  to  Union  and  liberty. 

These  things  the  writer  expects  to  tell,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  to  the  next  generation,  with  his  great-grand- 
children on  his  knee. 


THE  HORSE  MARINE'S  STORY. 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Gardette,  for  some  time  a  surgeon 
in  the  army,  and  a  poet  and  literary  man  of  marked 
ability,  furnished  to  the  United  States  Se^'vice  Magazine 
the  following  very  inter9sting  story,  as  related  by  one 
of  his  patients : 


136         ARiir   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

"  Yes,  doctor,  it's  me  they  call  the  Horse  Marine,  sure 
enough." 

''But  why  do  they  call  you  so?"  I  asked,  as  I  re- 
placed the  dressings. 

The  man  had  got  a  sabre-slash  across  the  head — nol 
a  dangerous  one — and  was  in  my  ward  of  the  MacFin- 
negan  Hospital  at  the  time. 

*'  Why,  you  see,  sir,  I  served  a  good  while  in  the 
marines  before  this  war  broke  out ;  and  so,  when  I 
'listed  into  the  land  service,  the  boys  soon  found  out  I'd 
been  a  sea-soldier,  and  dubbed  me  The  Horse  Marine  at 
once." 

''And  what  made  3'ou  choose  the  cavalry,  Spaddon?** 

"Why,  you  see,  sir,  when  I  was  a  sea-soldier,  I  Jiad 
a  ship  to  carry  me.  'And  so,'  says  I,  '  if  I  go  into  the 
land  service,  I  will  have  a  horse  to  carry  me,  and  that's 
a  ship  I  can  steer  myself;'  for  I  was  a  jockey  befoie  I 
was  a  marine." 

"  But  why  not  re-enter  the  marines  ?'* 

"Ah,  it  was  the  bounty,  doctor!  The  sea-soldiers 
didn't  get  any  bounty  then ;  nor  the  sailors  neither,  for 
that  matter — more's  the  shame.  And  though  I  was  not 
to  say  very  poor,  yet  money  was  not  amiss,  nor  Ihe 
horse  neither,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  for  another  reason. 
For  between  you  and  I,  sir,  I  didn't  go  into  the  ser\  ice 
again  out  of  what  you  call  pure  patriotism  altogether, 
nor  for  the  love  of  fighting,  though  I  have  not  shirked 
the  last,  if  I  say  it  myself,  neither." 

"  I  should  think  not,  Spaddon,  from  appearances ; 
but,"  continued  I,  liking  the  man,  of  whom  I  had  known 
something  previously,  and  having  a  little  spare  time  at 
the  moment — "what  did  you  enlist  for,  then  ?" 


ARMY    LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         437 

"  To  catch  my  wife,  doctor !" 

I  looked  at  the  man — a  good-looking,  muscular, 
shapely  fellow,  of  six  or  seven  and  twenty;  rather 
undersized,  but  firmly  knit,  with  a  bright  intelligent 
face,  and  a  manner  luid  language  above  his  present  rank 
(corporal  in  the  Ninety-ninth  Cavalry).  I  looked  at 
him.  He  was  evidently  quite  serious,  and  I  ignored 
his  having  been  a  marihe ;  and,  "  Well,  did  you  catch 
her,  Spaddon  ?"  I  asked,  simply. 

"  Yes— that  is,  I  did— and  I  didn't ;  if  you'd  like  to 
hear  about  it,  doctor,  I'll  tell " 

"  Doctor  Smith,  the  surgeon-in-chief,  wishes  to  see 
you  for  a  moment  in  his  quarters,"  said  a  messenger 
coming  in  at  the  instant. 

''  Very  good.  Well,  Spaddon,  I'll  hear  your  story 
another  time — to-night,  perhaps.  Nurse,  give  him  this 
as  before  ;  he's  doing  very  well."     And  I  left  him. 

When  I  came  to  Spaddon  that  night,  I  found  him 
with  a  slight  fever ;  which,  upon  inquiry,  I  conjectured 
to  have  been  produced  by  mental  excitement  on  the 
subject  of  his  wife-catching  story.  He  had  become  very 
anxious  to  tell  it  to  me  at  once,  and  his  fear  lest  I 
should  not  find  leisure  to  hear  it,  had  run  his  pulse  up  a 
score  of  bea^s  or  so.  Considering  this  of  no  special 
gravity,  and  finding  him  earnest  to  have  his  tale  told, 
I  gave  him  a  slight  calmant  and  bade  him  go  ahead, 
but  to  be  brief,  and  to  keep  to  the  point. 

"You  know  my  name,  doctor— Thomas  Spaddon," 
he  began ;  "  and  that  I  am  an  American  born  and  bred, 
as  my  father  was  before  me.  My  father  was  a  farmer, 
and  brought  me  up         " 

*'Stopi"  interrupted  I,  "I  don't  want  your  family 


438         ARMY    LIFE    IN    CJlMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

history.  There's  no  time  for  a  long  story.  Come  at 
once  to  the  gist  of  the  thing,  Spaddon — about  your 
wife-catching,  30U  know." 

"  Very  well,  sir;  though  I'd  rather — but  no  matter. 
T  was  married  seven  years  ago,  sir,  before  I  went  into 
the  marines.  I  traded  in  horses  then.  I  was  only 
twenty,  and  my  wife  hardly  seventeen.  Her  father 
kept  a  livery  stable  in — never  mind  the  place.  She 
was  a  beauty,  sir.  Well,  sir,  in  about  a  year  her  father 
broke  all  to  smash,  and  cleared  out.     Then  I  got  into  a 

cursed  bad  streak  of  luck,  and .     Well,  sir,  there's 

no  use  hiding  it ;  I  got  into  jail  for  horsestealing.  But 
I  swear  to  you  I  was " 

"  Innocent,  no  doubt.  I'll  believe  you  without  proof; 
only  get  on." 

"  No !"  said  Spaddon,  gravely  ;  "I  was  not  innocent, 
but  I  was  the  tool  of  sharper  men.  No  matter.  I  lay 
in  jail  a  year,  and  then  got  pardoned  out.  When  I 
went  to  seek  my  wife  she  was  gone,  and  I  could  not  find 
a  trace,  sir,  not  a  trace.  Well,  sir,  there  I  was — money 
gone,  wife  gone,  character  gone  !  What  to  do  ?  I  got 
drunk  next  day,  and  the  next  I  'listed  into  the  marines. 
I  served  my  term  there,  still  hearing  nothing  of  Jane, 
and  came  out  of  it  as  I  went  into  it,  an  unhappy  man, 
sir.  Then  the  Rebellion  broke  out.  But  I  thought  no 
more  of  enlisting.  My  father  had  died  and  left  me  a 
little  money  without  wishing  it.  That  is,  he  had  forgot 
to  make  a  will,  and  I  was  the  only  child  living,  and 
mother  long  gone.  It  wasn't  much  ,  but  I  didn't  care. 
But  one  day  I  met  a  friend.  He  was  a  soldier,  and  had 
been  a  prisoner  in  the  South,  and  just  got  back. 

"  '  Tom,'  saj  s  he,  '  I  saw  Jane  in  Richmond.' 


ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         439 

"* Saw  who?'  I  cried,  hardly  understanding  him  at 
first. 

"  *  Saw  Jane,  j^our  wife.  She's  prettier  than  ever, 
but  it's  my  opinion,  Tom,  she's  no  better  than 

" I  stopped  him,  sir;  but  he  didn't  mean  to  hurt  my 
feelings.  Well,  sir,  how  to  get  to  her,  or  get  her  to  me, 
was  the  question.  I  feared  she  wouldn't  come  of  her 
own  will,  at  least  not  unless  I  went  and  fetched  her. 
But  how  to  go  ?  I  would  not  turn  rebel,  even  if  I 
could — even  for  her.  I  thought,  and  thought,  and  the 
next  day  I  enlisted  in  the  Ninety-ninth  Cavalry.  The 
cry  was  *0n  to, Richmond!'  then,  sir,  and  the  Ninety- 
ninth  was  at  the  front.     And  in  a  fortnight  so  was  I." 

''  But  you  never  got  quite  there,  my  poor  fellow — into 
Richmond,  I  mean." 

"  Yes,  but  I  did,  sir." 

"  What  ?    Oh,  as  a  prisoner !  you  mean." 

"  No,  sir,  but  as  a  corpse  !" 

*'A — a  corpse  !  Come,  Spaddon,  tell  that  to — ^your 
old  comrades !"  said  I,  with  stern  irony. 

"Well,  sir,  I'm  wrong;  I  didn't  mean  exactly  a 
corpse,  that's  a  fact;  but  I  did  mean  as  a  wounded 
rebel." 

"I  thought  you  said  you  would  not  turn  rebel 
even " 

"  So  I  did,  and  so  I  do,  sir !  But  stratagem's  all  fair 
in  war,  and  this  was  a  stratagem,  though  it  didn't  do 
much  good  in  the  end,  for  when  a  man  once " 

"  Well,  well !"  I  exclaimed,  impatiently,  "  let  us  have 
the  stratagem  and  its  consequences — or  rather,"  I  con- 
tinued, as  I  felt  his  pulse,  and  looked  at  the  time,  "  we 
will  adjourn  the  conchision  till  to-morrow." 


440         ABMT   LIFE    IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AJSD   HOSPITAL. 

"  But,  doctor " 


"  No  buts.  Here,  take  this;  drink  it  all.  That  will 
do.     I  will  be  here  in  the  morning.     Good-night!" 

Spaddon  was  in  excellent  pulse  in  the  morning,  but  I 
had  no  time  to  listen  to  him.  In  the  afternoon,  how- 
ever, he  was  well  enough  to  be  helped  out  to  the  piazza 
for  a  breath  of  the  summer  air  (I  say  ''helped,"  for  he 
had  been  knocked  off  his  horse  by  the  blow  he  got,  or 
by  something  else,  and  was  severely  bruised  about  the 
body),  and  there,  sitting  in  a  comfortable  chair,  he 
finished  his  story,  as  follows  : 

"  It  was  within  three  miles  of  Richmond  that  we 
fought  that  day,  a  long  and  bloody  battle,  as  you  know. 
Al  night  both  parties  were  out  picking  up  their  dead 
and  wounded,  according  to  agreement.  I  had  formed  a 
plan  in  my  head,  and  now  I  put  it  into  practice.  It  was 
desperate,  but  so  was  I.  There  were  a  good  many  of 
both  sides,  but  chiefly  rebels,  fallen  in  a  bit  of  scrubby 
swamp-wood.  They  hadn't  begun  to  search  in  there 
yet.  I  crept  about  there  till  I  found  what  I  wanted. 
I  tied  a  bloody  handkerchief  round  my  head  and  jaw, 
stripped  off  my  uniform,  put  on  that  of  a  dead  rebel, 
clapped  mine  on  him  somehow,  and  lay  down,  waiting. 
After  awhile  they  came  along  with  torches,  and  began 
to  search.    0,  doctor !  I  can  tell  you  I  did  not  feel " 

"I  can  fancy  your  feelings,  Spaddon;  but  be  brief. 
They  found  you,  took  you  for  one  of  their  wounded,  and 
carried  you  into  the  city,  eh  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  in  a  wagon,  with  a  lot  of  others.  It  was 
dark  as  pitch  by  this  time.  I  watched  my  chance,  and 
when  we  got  into  the  city,  in  a  dark  spot,  before  we 
reached  the  better  lit  streets,  I  slipped  down  without 


ARMY    LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         4'11 

being  caught,  and  hid  among  the  buildings.  After 
awhile  I  found  an  empty  shed  or  outhouse,  and  stayed 
there  till  morning.  Then  I  walked  boldly  out  and  into 
the  streets.  Nobody  took  especial  notice  of  me.  Two 
or  three  soldiers  stopped  me,  and  asked  where  I  was 
hurt.  I  pointed  to  my  jaw,  and  made  signs  I  could  not 
speak.  A  little  girl  oflfered  me  a  hoe-cake.  After 
walking  about  a  couple  of  hours,  I  began  to  think  that 
I  had  come  on  a  fool's  errand.  How  should  I  find  her? 
How  should  I  ask  for  her  ?  For  the  first  time  I  began 
to  think  of  the  mortal  danger  I  was  in.  I  thought  even 
of  trying  to  go  back  somehow.  Just  then  a  woman 
came  out  of  a  house  opposite  me.  It  was  Jane  !  I 
knew  her  at  once,  though  she  was  thinner  and  paler, 
and  still  prettier  with  it  all!  What  should  I  do? 
Speak  to  her  ?  I  dared  not  risk  it  in  the  street.  She 
went  into  a  house  a  little  farther  on.  After  awhile  1 
maiie  up  my  mind.  I  went  over  to  the  house  she  had 
come  out  of,  and  knocked.  No  answer.  Again — again. 
No  one  came.  I  tried  the  door.  It  opened,  and  I  went 
in  and  shut  it  behind  me.  It  was  a  small,  poor  house. 
There  was  a  basket  of  dirty  linen  on  the  table.  I  saw 
at  a  glance  that  Jane  was  a  laundress.  She  a  washer- 
woman !  I  sat  down,  took  off  my  bandage,  and  waited. 
In  a  few  minutes  she  came  in.  She  looked  at  me. 
*  What  do  you  want  here  ?'  she  said. 

"  '  Don't  you  know  me  ?  I'm  your  husband,  Jane !' 
said  I,  rising  and  making  toward  her. 

" '  My  God !'  she  cried,  and  fell  back.  I  caught  her, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  she  came  to. 

"  *  Jane,'  says  I,  '  I've  come  to  take  you  home.* 

"  *  Never!'  says  she,  ^  I'll  never  see  the  North  again. 


442         ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

I  hate  it !  But  you — ^you're  a  soldier— one  of  oui 
soldiers.  H^w  came  you  here  ?  Ah !'  she  says  sud- 
denly, you're  a  spy!  a  traitor!  First  a  thief,  and  now 
a  spy !  Good  God !  Thomas  Spaddon !  Do  you  think 
that  I  would  own  a  thief  and  a  spy  for  my  husband?' 

"  ^And  is  all  your  love  dead,  Jane?'  says  I,  looking 
her  in  the  face. 

*'Slie  shook  her  head,  and  began  to  sob.  Then, 
'How  did  you  come  here?'  she  says  again,  sharply. 
<Who  told  you ' 

"  ^  Nobody,'  says  I ;  *  I  saw  you  go  out.  Jane !  Jane, 
come  home  with  me.' 

"*Home?  Here's  my  home,  with  these  noble,  in- 
jured people.     I  hate  and  despise  the  Yankees !' 

"*  You're  a  Yankee  yourself,  Jane,'  says  I. 

"  *  Thomas  Spaddon,'  says  she,  *  I  loved  you  once, 
and  I'll  not  betray  you.  But  go,  leave  me  and  this  city 
at  once,  forever !  Forever,  I  tell  you !  I  will  never  go 
with  you.     I — I  have  a  husband  here. 

"  *  I'll  kill  him!'  says  I,  looking  around,  as  if  I  thought 
he  might  be  there,  and  if  he  had  been,  I'd  have  done  it, 
by .' 

"  *  Then  go  and  do  it  like  a  man,'  says  she.  *  He's 
out  whipping  your  Yankees  now,  outside  the  city.  Go 
and  meet  him  if  you  dare !  Go ;'  and,  air,  she  actually 
pushed  me  to  the  door.  I  could  almost  have  killed 
her  then,  doctor.  But  I  went ;  I  don't  know  how  it 
was ;  but  I  went  without  another  word." 

Spaddon  was  gloomily  silent,  and  sat  with  his  head 
ni  his  hands  for  a  few  moments. 

"And  how  did  you  get  out  of  Richmond  ?"  I  asked, 
presently. 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         443 

"  I  don't  know,  sir,"  said  Spaddon,  still  gloomily. 
"  What  ?     Don't  know !     What  do  you  mean  by  thai, 
sir  ?" 

"  I  mean  just  what  I  say,  doctor.  I  was  crushed.  I 
just  walked  on  and  on,  hearing  nothing,  seeing  nothing, 
answering  notliing,  if  any  one  spoke  to  me,  which  I  don't 
know  if  they  did  or  not.  I  just  walked  on  and  on,  till 
I  found  myself  in  the  country,  in  the  fields  just  outside 
of  the  city.  Then  I  woke  up  and  looked  around  me, 
and  saw  some  negroes,  and  called  one,  and  asked  him 
the  way  to  our  army.  He  thought  I  meant  his  master's 
forces,  of  course,  but  that  didn't  matter.  He  told  me  I 
was  '  clean  done  gon'  round  de  udder  side  ob  de  city,'  and 
that  I  ^  mus'  folly  dis  yer  road  till  I  come  to  the  woods 
ober  yander,  when  I'd  see  a  paflf' — in  short,  sir,  he  put 
me  in  the  way ;  and  making  a  painful  march  and  a  wide 
detour,  and  creeping  through  the  swamps  that  night,  I 
got  back  to  our  own  camps  alive,  but  used  up  both  in 
body  and  mind,  doctor,  perfectly  used  up !" 

Spaddon  had  been  out  long  enough,  and  I  ordered  him 
back  to  the  ward.  As  we  went  along,  I  pondered  over 
his  story,  looking  at  him  the  while. 

"  Spaddon,"  said  I,  "  you  say  you  were  first  a  horse- 
jockey,  then  a  marine,  then  a  dragoon,  and  a  wife- 
hunter?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Spaddon. 

"  Well,  Spaddon,  I've  no  doubt  about  the  first  three 
phases  of  your  life,  but  as  to  that  tale  of  getting  into  and 
out  of  Richmond " 

"  It's  true,  every  word  of  it,  doctor,"  said  Spaddon, 
earnestly. 

"  It  may  be,"  I  replied  ;  "  but  it  sounds  marvellously 
like  a  story  for  the  horse  marines." 


444  ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 


THE  CONTRABANDS  IN  THE  WAR. 

The  army  correspondents  as  well  as  the  soldiers  have 
regarded  the  contrabands  as  fair  subjects  for  practical 
jokes,  and  when  these  have  been  harmless  in  their 
character  the  negroes  themselves  have  enjoyed  them 
sometimes  as  much  as  their  perpetrators.  No  doubt 
many  of  the  stories  of  the  contrabands,  retailed  by  the 
letter  writers  from  the  army,  had  their  origin  in  the 
brains  of  those  veracious  chroniclers  ;  but  the  following 
can  generally  be  vouched  for. 

(Company  K,  of  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry,  stationed  in 
Teimessee,  received  mto  their  camp  a  middle-aged  but 
vigorous  contraband.  Innumerable  questions  were 
being  propounded  to  him,  when  a  corporal  advanced, 
saying  : 

"  See  here,  Dixie,  before  you  can  enter  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  you  must  take  the  oath," 

^''Yes,  massa,  I  do  dat,"  he  replied  ;  when  the  cor- 
poral continued : 

^'Well,  then,  take  hold  of  the  Bible  !"  holding  out  a 
letter  envelope,  upon  which  was  delineated  the  Goddess 
of  Liberty  standing  upon  something  like  a  Suffolk  pig, 
wearing  the  emblem  of  our  country.  The  negro  grasped 
the  envelope  cautiously  with  his  thumb  and  finger, 
when  the  corporal  proceeded  to  administer  the  oath  by 
saying : 

"You  do  solemnly  swear  that  you  will  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  see  that  there 
are  no  grounds  floating  upon  the  cofiee,  at  all  times  ?** 


ARMY   LIFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         445 

"  Yes,  massa,  1  do  dat,"  he  replied ;  "  I  allers  settle 
'urn  in  de  coffee-pot." 

Here  he  let  go  the  envelope  to  gesticulate,  by  a  down- 
ward thrust  of  his  forefinger,  the  direction  that  would 
be  given  to  the  coffee-grounds  for  the  future. 

"  Never  mind  how  you  do  it,"  gravely  exclaimed  the 
corporal ;   "  but  hold  on  to  the  Bible." 

''  Lordy,  massa,  I  forgot,"  said  the  negro,  as  he  darted 
forward  and  grasped  the  envelope  with  a  firmer  clutch, 
when  the  corporal  continued : 

"And  you  do  solemnly  swear  that  you  will  sujDport 
the  Constitution  of  all  loyal  States,  and  not  dirty  the 
plates  when  cleaning  them,  or  wipe  them  with  your 
shirt  sleeves  ?" 

Here  a  frown  lowered  upon  the  brow  of  the  negro,  his 
eyes  expanded  to  their  largest  dimensions,  while  his  Ups 
protruded, with  a  rounded  form,  as  he  exclaimed : 

*"'  Lordy,  massa — I  nehher  do  dat.  I  allers  wasiies 
*um  nice.     Ole  missus  mighty  'tickler  'bout  dat." 

"  Never  mind  ole  missus !"  said  the  corporal,  as  he 
resumed :  "And  you  do  solemnly  swear  that  you  will 
put  milk  into  the  coffee  every  morning,  and  see  that 
the  ham  and  eggs  are  not  cooked  too  much  or  too 
Httle  ?" 

"  Yes — I  do  dat.     I'se  a  good  cook." 

"And  lastly,"  continued  the  corporal,  "you  do  sol- 
emnly swear  that  when  this  war  is  over,  you'll  make 
tracks  for  Africa  mighty  fast  ?" 

"Yes,  massa,  I  do  dat.  I  allers  wanted  to  go  to 
Cheecargo." 

Here  the  regimental  drum  beat  up  for  dress  parade, 
when  Tom  Benton — that  being  his  name — was  declared 


44.6         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

duly  sworn  and  commissioned  as  chief  cook  in  Company 
K,  of  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry. 


One  of  the  Anderf^on  Zouaves  relates  the  following  in* 
cident  as  having  come  under  his  observation  : 

We  were  scouting  one  day  in  Alabama,  when  in  a 
remote  field  we  found  a  negro  man  and  woman  plough- 
ing with  a  good  horse.  We  paused,  and  the  ploughers 
gazed  at  us  with  the  greatest  curiosity.  I  never  saw  a 
more  thoroughly  astonished  individual.  It  was  evi- 
dently his  first  sight  at  Yankee  soldiers. 

''  Well,  boy,  wont  you  come  along  with  us  ?"  I  said. 

"  De  Lawd  bless's — mars*s,  is  you  really  de  Fed'rals?** 

"  That's  it,  old  fellow." 

"  De  rale  Linkum  sojers  ?" 

"  Exactly." 

"  De  kind  as  wants  counterbans  T 

»'  Identically." 

Here  he  proceeded  with  great  deliberation  to  unhitch 
his  horse  from  the  plough.  Gathering  up  divers  small 
objects,  that  nothing  might  be  lost,  he  slung  himself  on 
his  steed,  and  cried,  over  his  shoulder,  to  his  amazed 
work-fellow : 

"Good-by,  M'ria.     I'se  off !" 

And  off  he  rode,  stared  at  by  "  M'ria,"  whose  eyes 
gazed  after  him  in  utter  and  complete  bewilderment-^ 
"like  the  grandmother  of  all  the  owls  when  she  first 
saw  sunshine."  

The  contra  )and  of  whom  the  following  story  is  told 


ARMY    LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL.         447 

was  not,  it  w:)uld  seem,  as  courageous  as   some  of  his 
colored  brethren,  though  decidedly  a  philosopher : 

Upon  the  hurricane-deck  of  one  of  our  gunboats,  an 
elderly  darkey,  with  a  very  philosophical  and  retrospec- 
tive  cast   of  countenance,  squatted    upon  his  bundle, 
toasting  his  shins  against  the  chimney,  and  apparently 
plunged  into  a  state  of  profound  meditation.     Finding, 
upon  inquiry,  that  he  belonged  to  the  Ninth  Illinois, 
one   of  the  most  gallantly  behaved    and    heavy-losing 
regiments  at  the  Fort  Donelson  battle,  and  part  of  -which 
was  aboard,  the  "  war  correspondent,"  began  to  interro- 
gate him  on  the  subject : 
'*  Were  you  in  the  fight  ?" 
*'Had  a  little  taste  of  it,  sa'." 
"  Stood  your  ground,  did  you  ?*' 
"  No,  sa',  I  runs." 
"  Run  at  the  first  fire,  did  you  ?*' 
"  Yes,  sa',  and  would  hab  run  soona,  had  I  knowd  it 
war  comin'." 

*'  Why,  that  wasn't  very  creditable  to  your  courage.** 
"  Dat  isn't  my  line,  sa' — cookin's  my  profeshun." 
"  Well,  but  have  you  no  regard  for  your  reputation  ?*' 
"  Reputation's  nufiin  to  me  by  de  side  ob  life." 
"  Do  you  consider  your  life  worth  more  than  other 
people's  ?" 

"  It's  worth  more  to  me,  sa'." 
"Then  you  must  value  it  very  highly?" 
"  Yes,  sa,  I  does,  more  dan  all  dis  w^uld,  more  dan  a 
million  of  dollars,  sa',  for  what  would  dat  be  wuth  to  a 
man  wid  de  bref  cut  ob  him?     Self-preservation  am  de 
fiist  law  wid  n  e." 


448         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,    FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

"  But  why  should  you  act  upon  a  different  rule  from 
other  men  ?" 

"  Becase  different  men  sot  different  values  upon  then 
lives:  mino  is  not  in  de  market." 

"  But  if  you  lost  it,  you  would  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  you  died  for  your  country." 

"  What  satisfaction  would  dat  be  to  me  when  de  power 
ob  feelin'  was  gone  ?" 

"  Then  patriotism  and  honor  are  nothing  to  you  ?" 

"Nuffin  whatever,  sa' — I  regard  dem  as  among  de 
wanities." 

"  If  our  soldiers  were  like  you,  traitors  might  have 
broken  up  the  Government  without  resistance." 

"Yes,  sa,'  dar  would  hab  been  no  help  for  it.  I 
wouldn't  put  my  life  in  de  scale  'ginst  any  gobernment 
dat  ever  existed,  for  no  gobernment  could  replace  de  loss 
to  me." 

"Do  you  think  any  of  your  company  would  have 
missed  you  if  you  had  been  killed  ?" 

"  Maybe  not,  sa' — a  dead  white  man  aint  much  to 
dese  sojers — let  alone  a  dead  nigga — but  I'd  a  missed 
myself,  and  dat  was  de  pint  wid  me." 


That  was  an  admirable  retort  of  a  Union  officer,  a 
colonel  in  the  Union  army,  who  having  been  taken 
prisoner  by  a  rebel  officer  of  the  same  rank,  was  taken 
by  his  captor  in  a  railroad  car  to  prison.  While  seated 
besides  his  captive,  the  rebel,  for  a  long  time,  insulted 
him  in  the  most  cowardly  and  contemptible  manner ; 
but  finding  that  his  abuse  produced  no  effect  beyond  a 
3ontemptuous  silence,  he  went  out  and  returned  with  a 


ARMY   LIFE    IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   nOSPlTAL.         449 

particularly  black  and  ragged  slave,  whom  he  compelled 
to  sit  beside  the  colonel ;  having  done  which,  he  left 
him.  Half  an  hour  passed  by,  when  the  Confederate 
officer  returned,  and  inquired,  with  a  grin  at  his  white 
prisoner,  how  he  liked  his  new  comrade.  "He  is  not 
such  a  person  as  I  have  been  accustomed  to  associate 
with,"  was  the  calm  reply ;  "  but  he  is  a  better  bred 
man  than  the  one  who  last  sat  beside  me." 


The  monster  shells  thrown  from  the  heavy  guns  ot 
the  Western  gunboats,  excited  alarm  and  terror  both  in 
whites  and  blacks.  The  account  of  their  effect  on  the 
former,  given  by  an  old  contraband,  is  somewhat  amus- 
ins: 


T> 


We  were  passing  along  the  wharves,  a  few  days  ago, 
wondering  at  the  amount  of  business  that  was  there 
transacted.  While  standing  observing  a  cargo  of  horses 
being  transferred  from  a  vessel  to  the  shore,  an  "  old 
contraband"  appeared  at  our  elbow,  touching  his  fur  hat, 
and  scraping  an  enormous  foot.  He  opened  his  battery 
upon  us  with  the  following : 

"  Well,  boss,  how  is  yer  ?" 

*'  Pretty  well,  daddy ;  how  are  you  ?" 

"  I'se  fuss  rate,  I  is.  B'long  to  old  Burnemside's  boys, 
does  yer?" 

"Yes,  I  belong  to  that  party.  Great  boys,  aiu*t 
they?" 

"  Well,  I  thought  yer  belonged  to  that  party.  Great 
man,  he  is,  dat's  sartin.  Yes,  sir.  We  waited  and 
waited  ;  we  heard  yer  was  comin',  but  we  mos'  guv  yer 

29 


450         ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

up.  'Deed  we  jest  did ;  but  one  mornin'  we  heard  dc 
oig  guns,  way  down  ribber,  go  bang,  bang,  bang,  and  de 
folks  round  yere  begun  to  cut  dar  stick  initey  short,  and 
trabble  up  de  rail-track.  Den,  bress  de  good  Lord,  we 
knowL'd  yer  was  comin',  but  we  held  our  jaw.  Bymeby 
de  sojers  begun  to  cut  dar  stick,  too,  and  dey  trabble  ! 
Goraiuity,  'pears  dey  make  de  dirt  fly  !  Ya,  ha !" 

"  Why,  were  they  scared  so  bad  ?" 

"  De  sojers  didn't  skeer  um  so  much  as  dem  black 
boats.  Kase,  yer  see,  de  sojers  shot  solid  balls,  and  dey 
not  mind  dem  so  much ;  but  when  dem  boats  say 
b-o-o-m,  dey  know  de  rotten  halls  was  comin',  and  d*;y 
Bkeeted  quickern  a  streak  of  litenin'." 

"  What  rotten  balls  did  the  boats  throw  at  them  ?" 

"  Don't  yer  know  ?  Why,  dem  halls  dat  are  had ; 
dey're  rotten,  an'  fly  all  to  bits — 'deed  does  dey — plaj' 
de  very  debbil  wid  yer.  No  dodgiu'  dem  dere  balls ; 
kase  yer  dunno  wliare  dey  fly  too — strike  yah  and  fly 
yandah ;  dat's  what  skeered  'em  so  bad  !" 

"  Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  when  the  war's 
over  ?" 

"  Dunno ;  p'raps  I  goes  Nofi*  Avid  dis  crowd.  Prett;y 
much  so,  I  guess.     'Pears  to  me  dis  chile  had  better  be 


During  the  riot  in  New  York  city,  in  July,  1863,  the 
negroes  were  in  great  peril  from  the  rioters,  and  many 
of  them  owed  their  escape  to  the  "  ready  wit"  of  some 
of  their  friends  and  employers.  The  following  was  one 
of  numerous  instances  of  this : 

While  President  Acton,  at  the  police  headquarters, 


AKMY    LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  A^D   HOSPITAL.         451 

wab  giving  some  final  orders  to  a  squad  of  men  who 
were  just  leaving  to  disperse  the  crowd  in  First  Avenue, 
a  wagon  containing  a  hogshead  was  driven  rapidly  up 
tc  the  Mulberry  street  door  by  a  lad,  who  appeared 
much  excited  and  almost  breathless. 

*'  What  have  ^  ou  there,  my  lad  ?"  said  President 
Acton. 

"  Supplies  for  your  men,"  was  the  answer. 

''  What  are  they  ?" 

"  i  i  s  aa  assorted  lot,  sir ;  but  the  people  say  it's  con» 
traband." 

Being  exceedingly  busy,  Acton  ordered  the  wagon  to 
be  driven  round  to  the  Mott  street  entrance,  where  an 
officer  was  sent  to  look  after  the  goods.  When  the 
wagon  arrived  the  officers  were  about  to  tip  the  cask  out, 
but  were  prevented  by  the  boy,  who  exclaimed : 

''Wait  a  minute — bring  me  a  hatchet."  A  hatcliet 
was  brought,  and  the  little  fellow  set  to  work  unheading 
the  cask  ;  and  as  he  did  so  the  officers  were  astonished 
to  see  two  full-grown  negroes  snugly  packed  inside. 
Upon  being  assured  by  the  lad  that  they  were  safe,  they 
raised  their  heads,  took  a  long  snuff  of  fresh  air,  and 
exclaimed,  "  Bress  de  Lord !" 

The  boy  stated  that  the  rioters  had  chased  the  poor 
unfortunates  into  the  rear  of  some  houses  on  the  west 
side  of  the  town,  and  that  they  had  escaped  by  scaling 
a  fence  and  landing  in  a  grocer's  yard ;  that  the  grocer 
was  friendly  to  them,  but  feared  his  place  might  be 
sacked  if  they  were  found  there.  He  accordingly  hit 
upon  this  novel  plan  of  getting  them  out,  and  while  he 
kept  watch  in  front  the  boy  coopered  up  the  negroea. 
The  cask  was  tlien  rolled  out  \i\  e  a  hogshead  of  su^ar. 


i62      ARirr  life  in  camp,  field,  and  uospital. 

placed    in   the   wagon,    and    driven   off    to    Mulberry 
fltreet. 

Heading  up  the  darkies  headed  off  the  mob  that  time. 


"We  presume  the  slaveholder  whose  slaves  were  dia. 
posed  of  by  his  friend  as  related  below,  hardly  contem* 
plated  adding  recruits  to  the  Union  army,  but  he  could 
not  complain  of  his  friend  for  obeying  orders : 

A  slaveholder  from  the  country  approached  an  old 
acquaintance,  also  a  slaveholder,  residing  in  Nashville, 
the  other  day,  and  said  : 

"  I  have  several  negro  men  lurking  about  here  some 
where.  I  wish  you  would  look  out  for  them,  and  whei 
you  find  them,  do  with  them  as  if  they  were  your  own.' 

•'  Certainly  I  will,"  replied  his  friend. 

A  few  days  after  the  parties  met  again,  and  the 
planter  asked : 

"  Have  you  found  my  slaves  ?" 

"  I  have." 

*'And  where  are  they?" 

"Well,  you  told  me  to  do  with  them  just  as  if  tiej 
were  my  own,  and  as  I  made  my  men  enlist  in  the 
Cnion  army,  I  did  the  same  with  yours." 

The  astonished  planter  "  absquatulated." 


,  A  VERY  independent  darkey  was  Sam,  as  the  reader 
will  discern: 

During  the  winter  of  1863,  a  contraband  came  into 
the  Federal  lines  n  North  Carolina,  and  marched  up  to 


ARMY  LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         453 

the  officer  of  the  day  to  report  himself,  whereupon  the 
following  colloquy  ensued : 

"  What's  your  name  ?" 

"  My  name's  Sam." 

"Sam  what?" 

"  No,  sail — not  Sam  Watt.     I'se  just  Sam." 

*'  What's  your  other  name  ?" 

*'  I  hasn't  got  no  oder  name,  sah !   Tse  Sam — dat  s  ail." 

"  What's  your  master's  name  ?" 

"I'se  got  no  massa,  now — massa  runned  away — yah! 
yah  !     I'se  free  nigger,  now.'* 

"  Well,  what's  your  father  and  mother's  name?" 

"  I'se  got  none,  sah — neber  had  none.  I'se  jist  Sara 
'^-aint  nobody  else" 

"  Haven't  you  any  brothers  and  sisters  ?" 

"  No,  sah — neber  had  none.  No  brudder,  no  sister, 
no  fader,  no  mudder,  no  massa — nothin'  but  Sam. 
W7ien  ycm  see  Sam,  you  see  all  dere  is  of  us." 


In  West  Point,  Virginia,  there  was  a  negro  scout, 
named  Clairborne,  in  the  employ  of  the  Union  forces, 
who  was  a  shrewd  hand  at  escaping  from  the  rebels. 
He  was  evidently  a  full-blooded  African,  with  big  lipa 
and  flat  nose,  and,  having  lived  in  this  vicinity  all  his 
life,  was  familiar  with  the  country,  which  rendered  him 
n  very  valuable  aid. 

On  Clairborne's  last  trip  inside  the  enemy's  lines,  after 
scouting  around  as  much  as  he  wished,  he  picked  up 
eight  chickens  and  started  for  camp.  His  road  led  past 
the  house  of  a  secesh  doctor  named  Eoberts,  who  knew 
him,  and  who  ordered  him  to  stop,  which,  of  course, 


454  A.RMT   LIFE   IX    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND    HOSPITAL. 

Clairborne  had  no  idea  of  doing,  and  kept  on,  when  fhw 
lioctor  fired  on  liiin  and  gave  chase,  shouting  at  the  top 
of  his  voice.  The  negro  was  making  good  time  toward 
camp,  when,  all  at  once,  he  was  confronted  by  a  whole 
regiment  of  soldiers,  who  ordered  him  to  halt.  For  a 
moment  the  scout  was  dumbfounded,  and  thought  his 
hour  had  come,  but  the  next  he  sang  out : 

"  The  Yankees  are  coming !  the  Yankees  are  coming !" 

**  Where  ?  where  ?"  inquired  the  rebels. 

"  Just  up  in  front  of  Dr.  Roberts'  house,  in  a  piece  of 
woods.  Dr.  Roberts  sent  me  down  to  tell  you  to  come 
up  quick,  or  they'll  kill  the  whole  of  us." 

"  Come  in  ! — come  into  camp !"  said  the  soldiers. 

"No — no,"  said  the  cute  African,  "I've  got  to  go 
down  and  tell  the  cavalry  pickets,  and  can't  wait  a 
second."  So  off  he  sprang,  with  a  bound,  running  for 
dear  life — the  rebs,  discovering  the  ruse,  chasing  him  for 
three  miles,  and  he  running  six,  when  he  got  safely  into 
camp,  but  minus  his  chickens,  which  he  had  dropped  at 
the  first  fire. 


A   GOOD  USE  OF   ROMAN  CANDLES. 

The  construction  of  the  firework  called  the  Roman 
candle  is  known  to  most  of  our  readers,  and  the  fact  ia 
familiar  that  when  fired  they  project,  in  succession,  and 
at  intervals  of  about  three  seconds,  a  number  of  bril- 
liantly luminous  balls.  Th(*se  balls  are  thrown  many 
feet,  and  cast  a  clear  light  fa*  two  or  three  seconds. 


ARArr   LIFE    IX   CAAfP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         455 

"We  doubt  whether  the  military  use  of  the  candles  we 
instance  has  ever  before  been  made : 

At  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  the  enemy  attempted  to 
«torm  before  dayliglit  one  of  the  forts — we  have  fo3> 
gotten  the  name,  but  it  was  the  one  before  which  the 
wires  which  so  conveniently  tripped  up  the  enemy  were 
arranged.  In  this  fort  was  stationed  Lieutenant  Charles 
Herzog,  of  the  Signal  Corps,  and  as  a  part  of  his  equip- 
ment, he  was  furnished  with  twenty  or  thirty  Roman 
candles,  containing  about  twelve  balls  each.  When 
used  as  signals,  the  candles  are  fired  vertically,  and  the 
balls  are  visible  at  a  great  distance. 

The  lieutenant  knew  of  this  use  of  his  candles,  but 
it  needed  the  inspiration  of  battle  to  develop  the  other. 
He  had  it.  Before  dawn,  one  day,  the  pickets  were 
driven  in,  and  the  enemy  were  swarming  after  them. 
They  came  on  over  a  crest  about  eight  hundred  yards 
distant,  and  our  great  guns  opened,  but  the  aim  was 
wild — there  was  need  of  light.  Light  there  must  be, 
or  the  heavy  masses  thronging  up  to  the  work  would 
sweep  its  parapet,  and  the  day  was  lost.  Then  came 
the  inspiration.  At  the  first  alarm  the  faithful  officer 
had  sent  his  signal-balls  whirling  into  the  air,  announc- 
ing the  alarm  to  every  distant  station.  With  the  gleam 
o^  its  balls  an  idea  gleamed  upon  him.  His  action,  as 
it,  was  instant.  Putting  his  match  to  another  candle, 
he  aimed  it  fairly  over  the  heads  of  the  enemy,  and  as 
they  came  closing  up,  the  sparkling  balls,  hanging  over 
them,  revealed  to  Johnny  Reb  not  only  that  there  was 
to  be  no  surprise  of  that  fort,  but  that  his  own  dark 
ways  were  to  be  lig]  ted.     The  experiment  was  a  sua 


456         ARMY   LIFE   IN   CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

cess.  The  great  crowd  of  charging  rebels  stood  out  Id 
fair  relief  in  the  glare — the  distance  had  lessened  to 
about  three  hundred  yards — and  our  pieces,  crammed 
with  canister,  opened  on  a  mark  perhaps  as  good  as 
could  have  been  had  by  daylight — only  the  light  waa 
not  continuous.  The  staunch  lieutenant  did  not  fail  in 
expedients.  He  sent  half  his  candles  by  one  of  his  as- 
sistants to  the  opposite  angle  of  the  fort,  and  then  they 
opened  fire  together,  crossing  fire  above  and  in  front  of 
the  enemy.  Now  a  ball  was  in  the  air  all  the  time. 
Those  who  have  seen  batterries  of  Roman  candles  at 
displays  of  fireworks,  can  appreciate  the  effect.  It 
puzzled  the  enemy,  and  it  amazed  them ;  many  of  the 
wild  white  trash  had  never  seen  a  Roman  candle ;  how 
could  they  tell  but  these  were  some  infernal  explosions 
of  "  Yankee  device  ?"  It  lighted  up  all  the  ground  to 
the  very  edge  of  the  ditch,  and  musketry  and  cannon 
shot  swept  into  their  ranks  in  storms.  That  they  came 
on  and  bravely,  we  know,  and  that  they  left  in  front 
of  the  work,  more  in  dead  and  wounded,  by  almost 
twice,  than  its  garrison.  It  was  useless.  They  were 
fairly  and  thoroughly  whipped.  In  twenty  minutes  all 
was  over,  and  the  last  of  Herzog's  candles  lighted  up  a 
completely  baffled  enemy. 


Trying  to  Persuade  Mr.  Greeley  to  Enlist. — One 
of  the  New  York  dailies,  in  1861,  got  ofi*  the  following 
very  good  story,  of  the  efforts  of  some  of  t}ie  Duryea 


ARMY   LIFE   IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL.         457 

Zouaves,  to  persuade  the  "philosopher"  of  the  Tribuite 
to  enlist  in  their  regiment. 

While  walking  up  the  Bowery,  a  few  days  ago,  we 
noticed  a  small-sized  crowd  in  front  of  the  recruiiing 
office  of  Duryea's  Zouaves,  between  Hester  and  Grand 
streets.  Upon  coming  up  to  the  gathering,  we  discovered 
the  well-known  figure  of  Horace  Greeley,  surrounded  by 
some  half-dozen  red-breeched  and  turbaned  soldiers. 

"  Come,  Mr.  Greeley  !"  exclaimed  a  strapping  fellow, 
who  stood  six  feet  high  and  was  proportionably  broad 
across  the  chest  and  shoulders,  "  now's  your  time  to 
enlist !  We  give  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  dollars 
bounty  to  day.     Wont  you  go  to  the  war  with  us  ?" 

''Gentlemen !"  answered  the  philosopher,  "  it's  impossi- 
ble. I  am  too  old;  besides,  I  am  doing  a  great  deal 
more  service  at  home." 

"  Then  you  wont  go  ?"  asked  another  Zouave. 

**  I  cannot  do  it,  my  friend,"  replied  Horace. 

"  You  aint  afraid,  are  you  ?  You  don't  know  how 
well  you'd  look,  until  you  saw  yourself  dressed  up  in 
Zouave  uniform,"  chimed  in  another. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  I  should  cut  a  j)retty  figure  in  your 
dress " 

"  Especially  if  you  wore  a  white  coat,"  interrupted  a 
waggish  bystander. 

"But  that  is  nothing,  my  friends.  Dress  neither 
makes  men  nor  soldiers.  Principle,  good  character, 
good  habits,  and  resolution  are  every  thing." 

*'0h  yes,  that's  all  right — but  that  aint  enlisting," 
persisted  the  first  speaker.  "  Uncle  Sam  wants  soldiers, 
and  talking  or  writing  isn't  the  thing.     There's  lots  of 


458         ARMY    UFE    IN    CAMP,  FIELD,  AND   HOSPITAL. 

men  older  than  you  in  the  ranks,  and  any  quantity  of 
editors,  reporters,  and  j)rinters.  If  a  few  men  like  you 
enlirttcd,  our  regiments  would  soon  fill  up." 

"  That  is  true — but  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  join  you," 
continued  Horace. 

"  You'd  soon  get  a  chance  to  wear  the  straps.  Maybe 
you  might  sport  a  spread  eagle,"  put  in  another  Zou-zou, 
persuasively. 

"No,  no;  gentlemen.  I  must  leave  you;  but," — 
turning  around  in  a  quiet  manner  and  eyeing  the  crowd, 
which  by  this  time  was  considerable,  ''  perhaps  some  of 
these  citizens  I  see  gathered  about  you  will  volunteer. 
If  any  one  will  do  so,  I  will  give  an  extra  bounty. 
Does  any  one  wish  to  join  ?" 

At  this  unexpected  offer  the  crowd  began  to  give 
way  and  scatter  about,  while  several  proposed  three 
cheers  for  the  white-coated  philosopher.  We  did  not 
bear  whether  Greeley  secured  any  recruits  by  his  extra 
bounty;  but  he  soon  after  moved  off,  followed  by  the 
Zou-zous,  who  laughed  quite  heartily  at  the  at-U  up*- 
made  to  entrap  Horace  into  the  Union  army. 


THE  FIGHT  WITH  THE  "ALBEMARLE." 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  naval  conflicts  of  this  or 
Kay  other  war-r-a  single-handed  encounter  between  a 
delicate  river  steamer  and  a  most  formidable  "  iron-clad" 
—occurred  on  the  5th  of  May,  1864,  in  Albemarle 
sound,  about  twenty  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Roanoke  river.  On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  three  side- 
wheel  gunboats,  the  "  Mattabesett,"  "  Sassacus,"  and 
"  Wyalusing,"  were  lying  at  anchor  in  the  sound,  await- 
ing  the  appearance  of  the  "Albemarle,"  a  most  formida 
ble  rebel  iron-clad  ram,  whose  recent  exploits  in  sinking 
two  of  our  gunboats,  near  Plymouth,  rendered  the  pro- 
longed occupation  of  the  sound  by  our  forces  somewhat 
uncertain  and  problematical.  To  the  three  vessels  above 
named  had  been  especially  assigned  the  duty  of  encoun- 
tering and,  if  possible,  destroying  this  dreaded  iron 
monster ;  and,  on  tlie  afternoon  in  question,  an  advance- 
guard  of  picket  boats,  comprising  four  or  five  of  the 
smaller  vessels  of  the  Union  fleet,  with  the  "  Miami," 
had  been  sent  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  Roanoke,  with  the 
design  of  decoying  the  rebel  "ram"  from  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  batteries  at  Plymouth  into  the  open  waters 

(459) 


460    DEEDS  or   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

of  the  sound.     The  ruse  succeeded,  and  falling  back  be- 
fore the  "Albemarle,"  as  she  left  her  moorings  to  pursue 
them,  they  quickly  drew  her  into  a  favorable  position 
for  attack.     Shortly  after  three  P.  M.,  in  obedience  to 
signals  from  the  ''Mattabesett,"  the  three  vessels  got 
under  way,  and  forming  in  line  ahead,  in  the  order  in 
which  their  names  are  above  written,  proceeded  at  ordi- 
nary speed  up  the  sound.     At  four  P.  M.  the  "  Matta- 
besett"  communicated  with  the  army  transport  "  Massa- 
Boit,"  coming  down,  and  immediately  signalled  to  her 
consorts  the  "  ram  is  out."     Almost  at  the  same  instant 
they  discovered  the  picket  boats  falling  back  slowly 
before  the  advancing  foe ;  and  beyond  them  a  glistening 
speck  upon  the  waters,  with  two  other  dark  objects 
hovering  near,  which  they  knew  to  be  the  ram,  accom- 
panied by  her  consorts.     The  Union  vessels  were  now 
cleared  for  action,  and  every  preparation  was  made  for 
a  determined  struggle  with  their  formidable  antagonist, 
toward  whom  they  were  driving  under  full  steam.    The 
day  was  charming,  the  broad  expanse  of  water  was  un- 
disturbed  by   a   ripple,    while   the   sun's   beams   were 
dazzlingly  reflected  from  the  inclined  sides  of  the  "Albe- 
marle," till  she  seemed  like  a  mass  of  silver,  while  above 
her  waved  an  unusually  large  and  handsome  Confederate 
flag.     The  rebels  were  now  seen  to  be  communicating 
by  boats,  and  one  of  their  vessels,  a  white,  stem-wheel 
steamer,   which  was  afterward   ascertained  to  be   the 
"  Cotton  Plant,"  cottorirclad,  and  manned  by  two  hun- 
dred sharpshooters  and  boarders,  put  hastily  back  to 
Plymouth.     The  other  steamer,  which  proved  to  be  the 
"Bombshell,"  closed   up   on  the   "ram's"   quarter,  in 
readiness  for  the  coming  conflict. 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     461 

Sweeping  gracefully  along,  under  a  full  head  of  steam, 
the  Union  vessels  approached,  and  while  tlie  "  Matta- 
besett"   hauled    up   abreast   of    the    ^'Albemarle,"   the 
"  Miami,"  some  distance  astern,  threw  a  good  but  in- 
effectual shot,  to  which  the  "  ram"  promptly  responded 
from  guns  that  were  evidently  of  the  heaviest  calibre. 
Almost  at  the  same  moment  the  '*  Mattabesett"  deliv- 
ered her  full  broadside,  at  three  hundred  yards'  distance, 
and  sweeping  round  the  "  ram's"  stern,  ran  by  the  ''Bomb- 
shell," close  aboard,  while   the  latter  lay  in  the  quarter 
post  of  the  "  ram."     The  ''  Sassacus"  now  entered  the 
fight,  and  the  "  ram,"  which  had  failed  to  get  at  the 
"  Mattabesett"  as  she  swept  by,  turned  her  bow  squarely 
for  the  former,  whose  pilot,  quickly  measuring  the  distance, 
sheered  his  vessel  slightly,  and  passed  some  one  hundred 
and  fifty  yards  ahead  of  the  "Albemarle,"  the  "  Sassa- 
cus" delivering  with  precision  her  w^hole  broadside  of 
solid  shot,  which,  how^ever,  rebounded  from  the  iron- 
clad   like   cork   balls.       Then,    sweeping    around   the 
stern   of   the   "Albemarle,"   the    "  Sassacus"    paid  her 
attentions  to  the  "  Bombshell,'*  by  whose  sharpshooters 
she  had  been  considerably  annoyed,   and    poured  into 
her   hull   a   full    broadside,  which    brought  the   rebel 
ensign  down,  and  sent  the  white  flag  up  in  short  order. 
Directing  her  to  drop  out  of  fire  and  anchor,  which  order 
was  promptly  executed  in  good  faith,  the  "  Sassacus" 
turned  again  to  the  "Albemarle,"  whom  she  found  hotly 
engaged  by  the  "  Mattabesett"  and  "  Wyalusing."     The 
latter  was  particularly  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
"ram,"  which  was  steaming  slowly,  though  using  hei 
guns  rapidly  and  with  effect,  and  whose  whole  side  was 
just  then  most  opportunely  exposed  to  the  "  Sassacus,"* 


462    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

now  only  some  eight  hundred  yards  distant.  Compre- 
hending, at  a  glance,  the  value  of  the  opportunity  thus 
oflfered,  the  gallant  captain  of  the  "  Sassacus"  unhesitat^ 
ingly  gave  a  preconcerted  signal,  "  four  bells,"  again  and 
again  repeated,  to  the  engineer,  and  the  ship  was  headed 
straight  for  what  was  supposed  to  be  the  '-ram's"  weakest 
part,  where  the  casemate  or  house  joined  the  hull.  The 
fires  were  clear,  and  with  thirty  pounds  of  steam  on, 
and  throttle  wide  open,  the  "  Sassacus"  dashed  upon 
her  adversary,  under  a  headway  of  nine  or  ten  knots, 
striking  her  a  fair,  square,  right-angled  blow,  without 
glance  or  slide  !  The  iron-clad  reeled  under  the  blow, 
and  her  black  hull  was  forced  under  water  by  the  bow 
of  the  "  Sassacus,"  till  the  water  flowed  over  it  from  side 
to  side,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  monster  was  sinking. 
''As  we  struck  her,"  says  one  of  the  participants  in  the 
fight,  "  the  '  ram'  drove  a  one  hundred  pounder  Brooke's 
shot  through  and  through  us,  from  starboard  bow  to  port 
side.  Our  stem  was  forced  into  her  side,  and  keeping 
up  our  headway  we  careened  her  down  beneath  our 
weight,  and  pushed  her  like  an  inert  mass  beneath  our 
weight,  while,  in  profound  silence,  our  gunners  were 
training  their  heavy  ordnance  to  bear  upon  our  aston- 
ished enemy.     Now  a  black  muzzle  protrudes  from  the 

*  ram's'  open  port,  and  the  loaders  of  our  Parrott  rifle, 
standing  on  the  slide,  served  the  gun  within  fifteen  feet 
of  that  yawning  cannon's  mouth.  It  was  a  grand  repro- 
duction of  the  old  days  of  '  broadside  to  broadside,'  and 

*  yard-arm  locked  to  yard ;'  but  the  immense  guns,  now 
grinning  defiance  across  the  few  feet  of  space  which  sep- 
arated them,  each  or.e  carrying  the  weight  of  metal  of 
%  whole  tier  of  the  old  time  carronades,  rendered  thia 


DEEDS   OF   UEUOIC    COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     4G3 

duel  of  ponderous  ordnance  a  magnificent  and  imposing 
spectacle. 

•'  StJll  Ave  pushed  lier  broadside-to  before  us,  our  engme 
at  full  speed,  pressing  our  bow  deeper  and  deeper  into 
her.  Still  she  gave  ^yily.  '='  '^  *  It  was  a  grapple  for  life 
A  silent  but  fearful  struggle  for  the  mastery,  relieved 
only  by  the  sharp,  scattering  volleys  of  musketry,  the 
whizzing  of  leaden  bullets,  and  the  deep,  muffled  explo- 
sion of  hand  grenades,  which  the  brave  fellow  in  our 
foretop  was  flinging  in  the  enemy's  hatch,  driving  back 
their  sharpshooters,  and  creating  consternation  and 
dismay  among  the  closely  packed  crew  of  the  iron-clad ; 
but  not  until  our  pilot  house  and  smoke  stack  had  been 
spattered  all  over  with  the  indentation  of  rifle  balls. 
No  one  had  yet  fallen.  "We  had  thrown  shot  and  shell 
square  into  her  ports  from  our  rifle  guns  on  the  hurri- 
cane deck,  and  driven  volley  after  volley  of  musketry 
through  every  aperture  in  her  iron  shield,  and  now 
our  heavy  one  hundred  pounder  wa&  ;,raining  for  another 
crushing  blow." 

At  this  juncture,  the  sharp,  false  stern  of  the  *^  Sassa 
cus,"  which  had  cut  deeply  into  the  side  of  the  ram, 
gave  way  under  the  pressure,  and  the  two  \essels  swung 
around  abreast  of  each  other,  their  guns  thundering 
away  with  simultaneous  roar.  At  the  same  moment  a 
ehot  from  the  "Albemarle"  pierced  the  boiler  of  the 
"  Sassacus,"  and  then  was  heard  the  terrible  sound  of 
unloosed,  unmanageable  steam,  rushing  in  tremendous 
volumes,  seething  and  hissing  as  it  spread,  till  both 
combatants  were  enveloped  and  hidden  in  the  dense, 
suffocating  vapor.  Now  the  contest  deepened  in  inten- 
sity, it  was  a  savage  ^ght  for  life.     The  gunners  of  the 


1^64    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE  AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

**Sassacus"felt  that  their  only  chance  of  injuring  their  an 
tagonist  was  to  throw  their  shots  with  accuracy  into  her 
open  ports,  and  that  upon  their  own  frail  wooden  vessel 
the  enemy's  every  shot  would  tell  with  terrible  effect. 
Muzzle  to  muzzle,  the  guns  were  served  and  fired,  the 
powder  from  those  of  the  "Albemarle"  blackening  the 
bows  and  side  of  the  "Sassacus,"  as  they  passed  within 
ten  feet.  A  solid  shot  from  the  latter's  hundred  pounder 
Btruck  the  "Albemarle's"  port  sill,  and  crumbled  into 
fragments,  one  piece  rebounding  to  the  deck  of  the 
*-Sassacus,"  and  the  rest  entering  the  port  hole  and 
silencing  the  enemy's  gun.  Through  the  same  opening, 
followed,  in  rapid  succession,  a  nine  inch  solid  shot,  and 
a  twenty  pounder  shell,  and  as  the  tough-hided  "  ram" 
drifted  clear,  the  starboard  wheel  of  the  "  Sassacus" 
ground  over  her  quarter,  smashing  the  launches  that 
she  was  towing  into  shapeless  drift  wood,  and  grating 
over  the  sharp  iron  plates  with  a  raw,  dismal  sound. 
Then,  as  the  "ram"  passed  the  wheel  of  the  "  Sassacus,'* 
the  crew  of  the  latter  drove  solid  shot  into  her  ports 
from  their  after  guns — and  her  armor  was  rent  by  a 
solid  shot  from  the  Parrott  rifle  gun,  which,  however, 
had  received  such  damage  to  its  elevating  screw  that  it 
could  not  be  depressed  so  as  to  fire  into  the  enemy's  ports. 
All  this  cool  gunnery  and  precise  artillery  practice  trans- 
pired while  the  ship,  from  fire  room  to  hurricane  deck,  was 
shrouded  in  one  dense  cloud  of  fiery  steam.  The  situation 
was  appalling  as  imagination  can  conceive.  The  shrieks 
of  the  scalded  and  dying  sufferers,  rushing  frantically  up 
from  below,  the  shrivelled  flesh  hanging  shred-like  from 
their  tortured  limbs,  the  engine  without  control,  surging 
%nd  revolving  without  check  or  guide,  abandoned   by 


DEEDS   OP   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     465 

all  save  the  heroic  engineer,  who,  scalded,  blackened, 
sightless,  still  stood  to  his  post  with  an  indomitable  will 
which  no  agony  of  pain  could  swerve  from  his  duty, 
and  whose  clear  voice,  sounding  out  from  amidst  that 
innss  of  unloosed  steam  and  uncontrollable  machinery, 
urged  his  men  to  return  with  him  into  the  fire  room,  to 
drag  the  fires  from  beneath  the  uninjured  boiler,  now  in 
imminent  danger  of  explosion.  His  marvellous  fortitude 
in  that  hour  of  intense  agony,  aided  by  the  bravery  of 
his  assistants,  saved  the  lives  of  the  two  hundred  persons 
on  board  the  ship-^for,  as  there  was  no  means  of  in- 
stantly cutting ofi"  communication  between  the  two  boilers, 
and  all  the  steam  in  both  rushed  out  like  a  flash,  the 
vessel  was  exposed  to  the  additional  horror  o^  fire. 
All  this  time,  in  the  midst  of  this  thick  white  cloud  of 
stifling  vapor,  the  "  Sassacus"  moved  on,  working  slowly 
ahead  on  a  vacuum  alone ;  but  hei  guns  thundering 
steadily  and  indomitably  against  her  adversary'.  At 
last,  the  cloud  of  steam  lifted  from  off  the  scene  of  con- 
flict,  and  the  rebel  "Albemarle"  was  seen  gladly  escap- 
ing from  the  close  lock  in  which  she  had  been  held,  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  by  her  slight  but  stubborn 
antagonist.  Her  broad  ensign  trailed,  draggled  and 
torn,  upon  her  deck,  and  she  loooked  far  different  from 
the  trim,  jaunty,  and  formidable  vessel  which  an  hour 
before  had  defied  the  slender  river  craft  who  had 
vanquished  her.  The  gallant  captain  of  the  "  Saa- 
sacus"  could  not  refrain  from  giving  her  "  another  turn," 
and  turning  his  vessel  around,  with  helm  "  hard-a-port," 
which  she  answered  slowly  but  steadily,  she  again  passed 
down  by  the  "Albemarle."  The  divisions  stood  at  their 
gims,  the  captain  calmlj'  smoking  his  cigar,   gave  his 

30 


4G6    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AXD    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

orders  with  surpassing  coolness,  and  directing  the  move- 
ments ol  his  vessel  with  wonderful  precision  and  relent- 
less audacity,  kept  his  guns  at  work,  so  long  as  they 
cx)uld  l3e  brought  to  bear  upon  the  retiring  foe,  till  the 
"  Sasaacus"  was  carried,  by  her  disabled  engine,  slowly, 
gracefully,  and  defiantly  out  of  range. 

Of  course,  in  this  hand-to-hand  fight  between  the  "  Sa»- 
eacus"  and  "Albemarle,"  little  aid  could  be  rendered,  ni 
close  quarters,  by  the  former's  consorts,  as  such  aid  would 
have  merely  endangered  her  safety.  Yet,  the  ''  Wyalu- 
Bing,"  the  "  Mattabesett"  and  the  "  Miami"  did  effective 
service,  as  opportunity  offered,  and  the  little  "  Whitehead," 
during  the  fiercest  of  the  fight,  steamed  alongside  of  the 
iron  monster  and  delivered  shot  after  shot  from  her  one 
hundred  pounder  Parrott  gun.  The  ''  Commodore 
Hull"  and  "  Ceres"  were  also  gallantly  handled,  and 
rendered  all  tiie  assistance  in  their  power. 

But  the  main  brunt  of  this  novel  and  unequal  engage- 
ment fell  upon  the  "  Sassacus,"  an  inland  light  draught 
river  steamer.  The  result,  so  contrary  to  all  precon- 
ceived ideas  of  "  iron-clad"  invincibility,  was  eminently 
gratifying.  The  rebel  gunboat  "  Bombshell,"  with  four 
rifled  guns  and  a  large  supply  of  amnmnition,  was  cap- 
tured, with  all  her  officers  and  crew,  and  the  "Albe- 
marle," which  was  on  her  way  to  Newbern  to  form  a 
junction  with  the  rebel  force  then  moving  upon  that 
place,  was  beaten  with  her  own  weapons,  in  a  fair  stand 
up  fight,  and  driven  back  with  her  guns  disabled,  her 
hull  terribly  shaken,  and  leaking  so  badly  that  she  was 
with  difficulty  kept  afloat.  Twice,  also,  had  her  flag 
been  cut  down  and  trailed  in  the  water  which  swept 
over  her  deck.     Her  discomfiture  proved  to  be  the  saving 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.    467 

of  Newbeni,  which  liad  ah-eady  been  summoned  to 
surrender  by  the  rebel  General  Palmer,  and  undoubtedly 
it  prevented  the  whole  Department  of  North  Carolina 
I'roni  being  lost  to  our  Government.  The  "  Sassacus,'* 
altliough  disabled  in  guns,  nuichiner}',  and  hull,  and 
suflering  severely  in  killed,  wounded,  and  scalded,  was 
ready,  with  two  months'  repair,  to  return  again  to  active 
duty,  staunch  and  strong  as  ever.  Her  exploit,  on  the 
6th  of  May,  1864,  justly  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable on  record,  while  the  skill  and  coolness  of  her 
officers,  and  the  indomitable  bravery  of  her  crew  rivals 
the  heroic  traditions  of  the  days  of  Decatur  and  Com* 
modore  John  Paul  Jones. 


The  Brave  Wisconsin  Boy. — An  example  of  almost 
superhuman  endurance  and  spirit,  as  related  by  Dr.  Voor. 
hies,  of  Mississippi,  a  gentleman  far  too  intelligent  and 
skilful  to  be  engaged  in  such  a  cause  otherwise  than  in 
alleviating  its  miseries,  is  as  follows  : 

"  When,  at  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Henry,  a  young 
Wisconsin  boy,  who  had  by  some  means  been  made  a 
prisoner,  had  his  arm  shattered  by  a  ball  from  our  gun- 
boats, he  was  taken  to  one  of  the  huts,  where  Dr.  Voor- 
hies  attended  to  him.  He  had  just  bared  the  bone, 
when  an  enormous  shell  came  crashing  through  the  hut. 
The  little  fellow,  without  moving  a  muscle,  talked  with 
finnness  during  the  operation  of  sawing  the  bone,  when 
another  went  plunging  close  by  them.     The  doctor  re- 


168    DEEDS   OF    EEROIC    COURAGE   AXD   SELF-SACRIFICE 

marked  that  it  was  getting  to  hot  for  him,  and  picked 
the  boy  up  in  his  arms,  and  carried  him  into  one  of  the 
bomb-proofs,  where  the  operation  was  completed.  The 
only  answer  of  the  Northerner  was  :  ^  if  you  think  this  hot, 
it  will  be  a  good  deal  too  hot  for  you  by-and-by.'  *  And, 
says  the  doctor,  '  I  should  like  to  see  that  boy  again. 
He  is  the  bravest  little  fellow  I  ever  saw.'  " 


A  Gallant  Boy. — Captain  Boggs,  of  the  "  Varuna,** 
tells  a  story  of  a  brave  boy  who  was  on  board  his 
vessel  during  the  bombardment  of  the  forts  on  the 
Mississippi  river.  The  lad,  who  answers  to  the  name 
of  Oscar,  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age,  but  he  has  an 
old  head  on  his  shoulders,  and  is  alert  and  energetic. 
During  the  hottest  of  the  fire  he  was  busily  engaged  in 
passing  ammunition  to  the  gunners,  and  narrowly  esca^  1 
death  when  one  of  the  terrific  broadsides  of  the  "  Varun;.  jT 
rebel  antagonist  was  poured  in.  Covered  with  dirt  »nd 
begrimed  with  powder,  he  was  met  by  Captain  Bof;gs, 
who  asked  "  where  he  was  going  in  such  a  hurry  ?" 

"  To  get  a  passing-box,  sir ;  the  other  one  was  smashed 
by  a  ball !"  And  so,  throughout  the  fight,  the  bruv2 
lad  held  his  place  and  did  his  duty. 

When  the  ''Varuna"  went  down.  Captain  Boggs  missed 
his  boy,  and  thought  he  was  among  the  victims  of  the 
battle.  But  a  few  minutes  afterward  he  saw  the  lad 
gallantly  swimming  toward  the  wreck.  Clambering  on 
board  of  Captain  Boggs'  boat,  he  threw  his  hand  up  to 
his  forehead,  giving  the  usual  salute,  and  uttering  only 
the  words,  "•  All  right,  sir '  I  report  myself  on  board," 
passed  coolly  to  his  station 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACKIFIGE.     469 


THE   DESTRUCTION    OF   THE    "ALBEMARLE." 

TnE  rebel  iron-clad  ram,  the  "Albemarle,"  whose  con- 
test with  and  discomfiture  by  the  "  Sassacus,"  in  May, 
1864,  has  been  previously  described  in  this  volume,  and 
which  had  become  a  formidable  obstruction  to  the  occu- 
pation of  the  North  Carolina  sounds  by  the  Unio]i 
forces,  finally  met  her  fate  in  October  of  the  same  year. 
During  the  previous  summer.  Lieutenant  W.  B.  Cushing, 
commanding  the  "  Monticello,"  one  of  the  sixteen  ves- 
sels engaged  in  watching  the  "  ram,"  conceived  the  plan 
of  destroying  their  antagonist  by  means  of  a  torpedo. 
Upon  submitting  the  plan  to  Rear- Admiral  Lee  and  the 
Na^-y  Department,  he  was  detached  from  his  vessel,  and 
sent  to  New  York  to  provide  the  articles  necessary  for 
his  purpose,  and  these  preparations  having  been  at  last 
completed,  he  returned  again  to  the  scene  of  action. 
His  plan  was  to  affix  his  newly-contrived  torpedo  appa- 
ratus to  one  of  the  picket  launches — little  steamers  not 
larger  than  a  seventy-four's  launch,  but  fitted  with  a 
compact  engine,  and  designed  to  relieve  the  seamen 
of  the  fatigue  of  pulling  about  at  night  on  the  naval 
picket  line — and  of  which  half  a  dozen  had  been  then 
recently  built  under  the  superintendence  of  Captain 
Boggs,  of  "  Varuna"  fame.  Under  Lieutenant  Cush- 
mg's  supervision,  picket  launch  No.  1  was  suppUed 
with  the  torpedo — which  was  carried  in  a  basket,  fixed 
to  a  long  arm,  which  could  be  propelled,  at  the  impor- 
tant moment,  from  the  vessel  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
rfjach  the  side  of  the  vessel  to  l>e  destriyed,  theie  to  U« 


470    DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

fastened,  and  exploded  at  the  will  of  those  in  the  tor- 
pedo boat,  without  serio'is  risk  to  themselves.  Having 
prepared  his  boat,  he  selected  thirteen  men,  six  of  whom 
were  officers,  to  assist  him  in  the  undertaking.  His 
first  attempt  to  reach  the  "Albemarle"  failed,  as  his 
boat  got  aground,  and  was  only  with  difficulty  released. 
On  the  following  night,  however,  he  again  set  out  upon 
his  perilous  duty,  determined  and  destined,  this  time,  to 
succeed.  Moving  cautiously,  with  muffled  oars,  up  the 
narrow  Roanoke,  he  skilfully  eluded  the  observation  of  the 
numerous  forts  and  pickets  with  which  that  river  was 
lined,  and  passing  within  twenty  yards  of  a  picket  vessel, 
without  detection,  he  soon  found  himself  abreast  of  the 
town  of  Plymouth.  The  night  was  very  dark  and  stormy, 
and  having  thus  cleared  the  pickets,  the  launch  crossed  to 
the  other  side  of  the  river  opposite  the  town,  and  sweep- 
ing round,  came  down  upon  the  "Albemarle"  from  up 
the  stream.  The  "  ram"  was  moored  near  a  wharf,  and 
by  the  light  of  a  large  camp  fire  on  the  shore,  Cushing 
saw  a  large  force  of  infantry,  and  also  discerned  that  the 
"  ram"  was  protected  by  a  boom  of  pine  logs,  which  ex- 
tended about  twenty  feet  from  her.  The  watch  on  the 
"Albemarle"  knew  nothing  of  his  approach  till  he  was 
close  upon  them,  when  they  hailed,  "  What  boat  is 
that  ?"  and  were  answered,  "  the  ^Albemarle's'  boat  ;'* 
and  the  same  instant  the  launch  struck,  "bows  on," 
against  the  boom  of  logs,  crushing  them  in  about  ten 
feet,  and  running  its  bows  upon  them.  She  was  imme- 
diately greeted  with  a  heavy  and  incessant  infantry  fire 
from  the  shore,  while  the  ports  of  the  "Albemarle"  were 
jpeued,  and  a  gun  trained  upon  the  daring  party. 
Cushhig  promptly  replied  wit  .  a  dose  of  canister,  but 


DEEDS   OF   TIEROIC    COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     471 

thp  gallant  yo  ing  fellow  had  enough  for  one  man  to 
manage.  He  had  a  line  attached  to  his  engineer's  leg, 
to  pull  in  lieu  of  bell  signals ;  another  line  to  detach  the 
torpedo,  and  another  to  explode  it,  besides  this,  he 
managed  the  boom  which  was  to  place  the  torpedo  under 
the  vessel,  and  fired  the  howitzer  with  his  own  hand. 
But  he  coolly  placed  the  torpedo  in  its  place  and  ex- 
ploded it.  At  the  same  moment  he  was  struck  on  the 
right  wrist  with  a  musket  ball,  and  a  shell  from  the 
"Albemarle"  went  crashing  through  the  launch.  The 
whole  affair  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  minutes. 
Each  man  had  now  to  save  himself  as  best  he  might. 
Gushing  threw  off  his  coat  and  shoes,  and  leaping  into 
the  water,  struck  out  for  the  opposite  shore,  but  the  cries 
of  one  of  his  drowning  men  attracting  the  enemy's  fire, 
he  turned  down  the  stream.  The  water  was  exceed- 
ingly cold,  and  his  heavy  clothing  rendered  it  very  dif- 
ficult for  him  to  keep  afloat,  and  after  about  an  hour's 
swimming  he  went  ashore,  and  fell  exhausted  upon  the 
bank.  On  coming  to  his  senses,  he  found  himself  near 
a  sentry  and  two  officers,  who  were  discussing  the  affair, 
and  heard  them  say  that  Gushing  was  dead.  Thinking 
that  he  had  better  increase  the  distance  between  the 
rebels  and  himself,  he  managed  to  shore  himself  along 
on  his  back,  by  working  with  his  heels  against  the 
gi'ound,  until  he  reached  a  place  of  concealment. 

After  dark,  he  proceeded  through  the  swamp  for  some 
distance,  lacerating  his  feet  and  hands  with  the  briara 
and  oyster  shells.  He  next  day  met  an  old  negro  whom 
be  thought  he  could  trust.  The  negro  was  frightened  at 
Cushing's  wild  appearance,  and  tremblingly  asked  who 
he  was.     "  I  am  a  Yankee,"  replied   Gushing,  "  and  I 


472    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

am  one  of  the  men  who  blew  up  the  'Albemarle.' 
"  My  golly,  massa !"  said  the  negro,  "  ley  kill  you  if 
dey  catch  you.  You  dead  gone  sure."  Gushing  asked 
him  if  he  could  trust  him  to  go  into  the  town  and  bring 
him  back  the  news.  The  negro  assented,  and  Gushing 
gave  him  all  the  money  he  had,  and  sent  him  off.  H'e 
then  climbed  up  a  tree  and  opened  his  jack-knife,  the 
only  weapon  he  had,  and  prepared  for  any  attack  which 
might  be  made. 

After  a  time  the  negro  came  back,  and  to  Gushing'a 
joy,  reported  the  "Albemarle"  sunk  and  the  people 
leaving  the  town.  Gushing  then  went  further  down  the 
river,  and  found  a  boat  on  the  opposite  bank  belonging 
to  a  picket  guard.  He  once  more  plunged  into  the 
chilly  river,  and  detached  the  boat,  but,  not  daring  to 
get  into  it,  let  it  drift  down  the  river,  keeping  himself 
concealed.  At  last,  thinking  he  was  far  enough  away 
to  elude  observation,  he  got  into  the  boat,  and  paddled 
for  eight  hours,  until  he  reached  the  squadron.  After 
hailing  them,  he  fell  into  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  utterly 
exhausted  by  hunger,  cold,  fatigue,  and  excitement,  to 
the  surprise  of  the  people  in  the  squadron,  who  were 
somewhat  distrustful  of  him  when  he  first  hailed,  think- 
ing him  a  rebel  who  was  trying  some  trick. 

Nothing,  indeed,  but  an  overruling  Providence  and 
an  iron  will  ever  saved  Gushing  from  death.  He  saw 
two  of  his  men  drown,  who  were  stronger  than  he,  and 
eaid  of  himself,  that  when  he  paddled  his  little  boat,  his 
arms  and  his  will  were  the  only  living  parts  of  his  organ- 
ization. 

One  man  of  the  party  returned  on  the  "  Valley  Gity,** 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE     473 

having  been  picked  up  after  he  had  travelled  across  the 
country,  and  been  in  the  swamps  nearly  two  days. 

But  one  or  two  were  wounded,  and  the  larger  part 
were  captured  by  the  rebels,  being  unable  to  extricate 
themselves  from  their  perilous  position  among  the  logs 
of  the  boom,  under  the  guns  of  the  "ram."  The  '^Albe- 
marle"  had  one  of  her  bows  stove  m  by  the  explosion 
of  the  torpedo,  and  sank  at  her  moorings  within  a  few 
moments,  without  loss  of  life  to  her  crew.  Her  fate 
opened  the  river  to  the  Union  forces,  who  quickly  occu^ 
pied  Plymouth — the  North  Carolina  sounds  were  again 
cleared  from  rebel  craft,  and  the  large  fleet  of  vessels, 
which  had  been  occupied  in  watching  the  iron-clad,  were 
released  from  that  arduous  duty.  Lieutenant  Cuthing, 
to  whose  intrepidity  and  skill  the  country  is  indebted 
for  these  results,  was  engaged  in  thirty-five  fights  during 
the  war,  and,  exhausted  as  he  was  after  this  gallant 
expl  )it,  made  the  journey  to  his  home  in  Western  New 
York^  near  Dunkirk,  to  vote,  being  one  of  those  who 
belie\  es  that  ballots  are  as  important  as  bullets,  in  the 
Dresei  vation  of  the  National  life  and  liberties. 


HETTY  McEWEN, 

AN  INCn)ENT  OP  THE  OCCUPATION  OP   NASHVILLX 

BY    LUCY    HAMILTON    HOOPER. 

0  Hetty  McEwen!  Hetty  McEwen'^ 
What  were  the  angry  rebels  doing, 
Thai;  autumn  day,  in  Nashville  town  ? 
They  looked  aloft  wi^h  oath  and  frown. 


474    DEEDS   OF   nEROlC   COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICR. 

And  saw  the  Stars  and  Stripes  wave  high 
Against  tlie  blue  of  the  sunny  sky  ; 
Deep  was  the  oath,  and  dark  the  frown, 
And  loud  the  shout  of  "  Tear  it  down  1" 

For  over  Nashville,  far  and  wide, 
Rebel  banners  the  breeze  defied, 
Staining  heaven  with  crimson  bars  ; 
Only  the  one  old  "  Stripes  and  Stars" 
Waved,  where  autumn  leaves  were  strewing, 
Round  the  home  of  Hetty  McEwen. 

Hetty  McEwen  watched  that  day 
Where  her  son  on  his  death-bed  lay ; 
She  heard  the  hoarse  and  angry  cry — 
The  blood  of  "  '76  "  rose  high. 
Out-flashed  her  eye,  her  cheek  grew  warm, 
Uprose  her  aged  stately  form  ; 
From  her  window,  with  steadfast  brow, 
She  looked  upon  the  crowd  below. 

Eyes  all  aflame  with  angry  fire 

Flashed  on  her  in  defiant  ire. 

And  once  more  rose  the  angry  call, 

"  Tear  down  that  flag,  or  the  house  shall  GUI  T 

Never  a  single  inch  quailed  she, 

Her  answer  rang  out  firm  and  free  : 

"  Under  the  roof  where  that  flag  flies, 

Now  my  son  on  his  death-bed  lies ; 

Born  where  that  banner  floated  high, 

'Neath  its  folds  he  shall  surely  die. 

Not  for  threats  nor  yet  for  suing 

Shall  it  fall,"  said  Hetty  McEwen. 

The  loj^al  heart  and  steadfast  hand 
Claimed  respect  from  the  traitor  band ; 
The  fiercest  rebel  quailed  that  day 
before  that  woman  stern  and  gray. 
They  went  in  silence,  one  by  one — 
Left  her  there  with  her  dying  son, 


DEEDS  OP  HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.    476 

And  left  the  old  flag  floating  free 

O'er  the  bravest  heart  in  Tennessee, 

To  wave  in  loyal  splendor  there 

Upon  that  treason-tainted  air, 

Until  the  rebel  rule  was  o'er 

And  Nashville  town  was  ours  once  more. 

Came  the  day  when  Fort  Donelson 

Fell,  and  the  rebel  reign  was  done ; 

And  into  Nashville,  Buell,  then, 

Marched  with  a  hundred  thousand  men, 

With  waving  flags  and  rolling  drums 

Past  the  heroine's  house  he  comes ; 

He  checked  his  steed  and  bared  his  head, 

"'  Soldiers  1  salute  that  flag,"  he  said  ; 

"And  cheer,  boys,  cheer  I — give  three  times  three 

For  the  bravest  woman  in  Tennessee  I" 


One  of  Logan's  Men. — At  Fort  Donelson  a  young 
man,  attached  to  the  Thirty-first  Regiment  of  Illinois 
Volunteers  (Colonel  John  A.  Logan),  received  a  musket- 
ehot  wound  in  the  right  thigh,  the  ball  passing  through 
the  intervening  flesh,  and  lodging  in  the  left  thigh. 
The  boy  repaired  to  the  rear  and  applied  to  the  doctor 
to  dress  his  wound.  He,  however,  manifested  a  peculiar 
reserve  in  the  matter,  requesting  the  doctor  to  keep  his 
misfortune  a  secret  from  his  comrades  and  officers.  He 
then  asked  the  surgeon  if  he  would  dress  his  wound  at 
once,  in  order  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  return  to  the 
fidit.  The  suro;eon  told  him  that  he  was  not  in  a  con- 
dition  to  admit  of  his  return,  and  that  he  had  better  go 
to  the  hospital ;  but  the  young  brave  insisted  upon  going 
back,  offering  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  it  the  fact  that 
he  had  fired  twenty-two  rounds  after  receiving  his  wound, 
and  he  was  confident  he  could  fire  as  many  more  aftei 


476     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

his  wound  should  be  dressed.  The  surgeon  found  he 
could  not  prevent  his  returning  to  the  field,  so  he  attend- 
ed to  his  wants,  and  the  young  soldier  went  off  to  rejoin 
his  comrades  in  their  struggle,  and  remained,  dealing  out 
his  ammunition  to  good  account  until  the  day  was  over, 
as  if  nothing  had  happened  to  him.  Several  days  after 
he  returned  to  the  doctor  to  have  his  wound  redressed, 
and  continued  to  pay  him  daily  visits  in  his  leisure  hours, 
attending  to  duty  in  the  meantime. 


The  Acre  of  Fire. — At  the  battle  of  luka.  Captain, 
afterward  Lieutenant-Colonel  Arthur  C.  Ducat,  then  an 
officer  of  General  Ord's  staff,  and  subsequently  Inspector- 
General  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  seeing  a  divi- 
sion of  rebels  about  to  flank  one  of  the  Union  regiments, 
rode  up  and  informed  Rosecrans  of  the  danger.  "  Ride 
on  and  warn  Stanley  at  once,"  said  the  general.  An 
acre  of  fire,  and  showered  with  bullets,  lay  between 
them  and  the  menaced  troops.  The  officer  looked  at  it, 
and  said:  "General,  I  have  a  wife  and  children." 

"  You  knew  that  when  you  came  here,"  said  the  gen- 
eral, coolly. 

"  I'll  go,  sir,"  was  the  only  answer. 

"  Stay  a  moment.  We  must  make  sure  of  this,"  and 
hastily  writing  some  despaches,  the  general  called  three 
sf  his  orderlies.  Giving  a  despatch  to  each,  he  said  to 
the  officer :  "Now  go."  He  started,  and  at  intervals  of 
about  fifty  yards,  bearing  a  similar  message,  the  order- 
lies followed.  The  officer  ran  the  fiery  gauntlet,  and, 
his  clothes  pierced  with  bullets,  and  his  horse  reeling 
from  a  mortal  wound,  reached  Stanley — the  orderlies 
found  their  graves  on  that  acre  of  fire  ! 


DEEDS   or   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     477 


GENERAL  SUMNER  AT  FAIR  OAKS. 

On  the  first  day  of  that  severe  battle,  the  troops  were 
trembling  under  a  pitiless  storm  of  bullets,  when  General 
Sumner  galloped  up  and  down  the  advance  line  more 
exposed  than  any  private  in  the  ranks. 

''  What  regiment  is  this  ?"  he  asked,  as  he  reined  in 
his  horse  in  front  of  one  of  the  regiments  which  stood 
firmest  in  that  galling  fire. 

''  The  Fifteenth  Massachusetts,"  replied  a  hundred 
voices. 

"  I,  too,  am  from  Massachusetts ;  three  cheers  for  our 
old  Bay  State !" 

And  swinging  his  hat,  the  general  led  off,  and  every 
soldier  joined  in  three  thundering  cheers.  The  enemy 
looked  on  in  wonder  at  the  strange  episode,  but  waa 
driven  back  by  the  fierce  charge  which  followed. 

The  courage  of  the  old  hero  was  of  the  grandest 
order ;  it  was  not  the  mad  excitement  which  hurries  a 
man  into  deeds  of  valor,  in  the  rush  of  battle,  of  which 
he  would  be  incapable  at  any  other  time ;  it  was  cool, 
calm,  and  deliberate,  but  unfaltering. 

On  this  occasion,  as  on  many  others,  as  soon  as  the 
heavy  artillery  began  to  pound,  his  usually  mild  eyes 
flashed  fire.  He  removed  his  artificial  teeth,  which 
became  troublesome  in  the  excitement  of  battle,  and 
placed  them  deliberately  in  his  pocket,  raised  his  specta- 
cles from  his  eyes  and  let  them  rest  upon  his  forehead, 
that  he  might  see  more  clearly  objects  at  a  distance, 
gave  his  orders  to  his  subordinates,  and  then  galloped 
headlong  mto  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 


47S    DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

Finding  his  soldiers,  most  of  whom  had  not  before 
been  under  so  severe  a  fire,  becoming  excited  and  un- 
easy, he  dashed  through  the  fire  and  smoke,  his  tali  and 
commanding  form  erect,  his  snowy  hair  streaming  in 
the  wind,  and  as  he  rode  along  the  front,  where  the  men 
were  falling  like  grass  before  the  mower,  his  clear,  ring- 
ing voice  was  heard  all  along  the  line,  "  Steady,  men, 
steady !  Don't  be  excited.  When  you  have  been  sol- 
diers as  long  as  I,  you  will  learn  that  this  is  nothing. 
Stand  firm,  and  do  your  duty  I" 

At  the  end  of  the  second  day  of  that  bloody  battle  of 
Fair  Oaks,  the  troops  which  with  great  peril  had  been 
able  to  cross  the  Chickahominy  before  the  bridges  were 
carried  aw^ay  with  the  flood,  were  under  his  command ; 
the  fighting  had  been  severe,  and  only  parts  of  three 
shattered  corps  were  left  to  resist  the  enemy's  entire 
force.  The  situation  was  one  of  great  peril,  but  Sum- 
ner was  equal  to  the  occasion.  After  making  his  dis- 
position to  receive  an  attack,  he  sent  for  General  Sedg- 
wick, his  special  friend,  and,  like  himself,  a  man  of  the 
most  undaunted  courage.  When  he  came,  General 
Sumner  said :  "  Sedgwick,  you  perceive  the  situation. 
The  enemy  will  doubtless  open  upon  us  at  daylight. 
Reinforcements  are  impossible  ;  he  can  overwhelm  and 
destroy  us.  But  the  country  cannot  afford  to  iuive  us 
defeated.  There  is  just  one  thing  for  us  to  do.  We 
must  stand  here  and  die  like  men  !  Impress  it  upon 
your  officers,  that  we  must  do  this  to  the  last  man — to 
the  last  man !  We  may  not  meet  again ;  good-by, 
Sedgwick." 

The  two  grim  soldiers  shook  hands  and  parted. 
Morning  came,  but  the  e^emy  failing  to  discover  our 


bEKPS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.    479 

perilous  condition,  did  not  renew  the  attack;  new 
bridges  were  built,  and  the  sacrifice  averted.  But  Sum- 
ner was  the  man  to  have  carried  out  his  resolution  to 
tlie  letter. 

"  Suffer  Most — Love  Most." — In  a  quiet  neighbor- 
hood, where  there  was  more  latent   than  practical  pa- 
triotism, one  earnest  woman  succeeded,  by  her  energy, 
in  awakening  an  interest  in  behalf  of  the  country  and 
our  soldiers.     The  clergyman  of  the  village  opened  his 
house  to  this  patriot  woman,  and  all  the  people  vied 
with  each  other  in  the  service  of  preparing, comforts  for 
the  soldiers.     They  started  on  blackberry  brandy  and 
cordial,   and  succeeded  in  making  seventy-six  gallons. 
One  night,  after  the  clergyman  and  family  had  retired, 
t^^hey   were  aroused  by  some  one  trying  to  gain   admit- 
tance;  they  found,  upon  opening  the  door,  a  humble 
man,  who  was  not  willing  to  give  his  name,  but  said  that 
his  children  had  picked  some  berries  for  the  soldiers, 
and  that  he  had  brought  them,  after  his  day's  work  was 
done,  a  distance  of  six  miles.     It  was  subsequently  as- 
certained  that  this  man   had  been  drafted   while  the 
three  hundred  dollar  exemption  clause  was  in  force. 
With  him  there  was  no  alternative.     His  family  must 
starve  if  he  left  them.     He  therefore  sacrificed  every 
thing,  save  the  bare  necessities  of  life,  to  raise  the  three 
hundred  dollars.     His  children  were  stripped  of  every 
article  of  clothing  save  one  suit  each,  and  when,  during 
this  time  of  rigid  economy  and  trial,  another  child  was 
horn,   it  had  literally    -'nothing  to   wear."     Still  this 
family  grew  strong  through  suffering,  and  learned  that 
they  who  for  their  country's  sake  suffer  most,  love  her 
mest. 


480    DEEDS  OF  H£ROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 


"OLD   BRADLEY," 

THE   TENNESSEE  BLACKSMITH. 

The  sufferings  and  sacrifices  of  the  loyal  men  of  Easi 
Tennessee  were  as  worthy  of  record  as  those  of  the 
Covenanters  in  Scotland  in  the  time  of  the  Primat43 
Sharp,  and  their  courage  and  daring,  and  their  unselfish 
devotion  to  the  Union  and  to  those  who,  like  themselves, 
were  persecuted  for  their  adherence  to  it,  give  life  and 
interest  to  some  of  the  most  thrilling  incidents  of  the 
war. 

One  of  these  incidents,  as  related  by  an  East  Tennea- 
eean,  is  the  following : 

Near  the  crossroads,  not  far  from  the  Cumberland 
mountains,  stood  the  village  forge.  The  smith  "waa  a 
sturdy  man  of  fifty.  He  was  respected,  wherever  kno-w^n, 
for  his  stern  integrity.  He  served  God,  and  did  not  fear 
man — and  it  might  be  safely  added,  nor  devil  either. 
His  courage  was  proverbial  in  the  neighborhood;  and  it 
was  a  common  remark,  when  wishing  to  pay  any  person 
a  high  compliment,  to  say,  "  He  is  as  brave  as  Old  Brad- 
ley." One  night,  toward  the  close  of  September,  as  ho 
stood  alone  by  the  anvil  plying  his  labors,  his  counte- 
nance  evinced  a  peculiar  satisfaction  as  he  brought  hie 
hammer  down  w- ith  a  vigorous  stroke  on  the  heated  iron 
While  blowing  the  bellows  he  would  occasionally  paus»5 
and  shake  his  head,  as  if  communing  with  himself.  He 
was  evidently  meditating  upon  something  of  a  serious 
aature.     It  was  during  one  of  these  pauses  that  the  door 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     481 

was  thrown  open,  and  a  pale,  trembling  figure  staggered 
into  the  shop,  and,  sinking  at  the  smith's  feet,  faintly 
eiaculated  : 

''In  the  name  of  Jesus,  protect  me!" 

As  Bradley  stooped  to  raise  the  prostrate  form,  three 
men  entered,  the  foremost  one  exclaiming : 

"  We've  treed  him  at  last !  There  he  is !  Seize 
him !''  and  as  he  spoke  he  pointed  at  iLc  crouching 
figure. 

The  others  advanced  to  obey  the  order,  but  Bradley 
suddenly  arose,  seized  his  sledge-hammer,  and  bran- 
dishing it  about  his  head  as  if  it  were  a  sword,  ex- 
claimed : 

"  Back !  Touch  him  not ;  or,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
I'll  brain  ye !" 

They  hesitated,  and  stepped  backward,  not  vrishing  to 
encounter  the  sturdy  smith,  for  his  countenance  plainly 
told  them  that  he  meant  what  he  said. 

"Do  you  give  shelter  to  an  abolitionist?"  fiercely 
shouted  the  leader. 

"  I  give  shelter  to  a  weak,  defenceless  man,"  replied 
the  smith. 

"  He  is  an  enemy  !"  vociferated  the  leader. 

"Of  the  devil!"  ejaculated  Bradley. 

"  He  is  a  spy  !  an  abolition  hound !"  exclaimed  th« 
leadei,  with  increased  vehemence  ;  "  and  we  must  have 
him.  So  I  tell  you,  Bradley,  you  had  better  not  inter- 
fere. You  know  that  you  are  already  suspected,  and  if 
you  insist  upon  sheltering  him  it  will  confirm  it." 

*^Sus-pect-ed!  Suspected  of  what?"  exclaimed  th« 
Bmitli,  in  a  firm  tone,  riveting  his  gaze  upon  the  speaker. 

"  Why,  of  adhering  to  the  North,"  was  the  reply. 
31 


482     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

"Adhering  to  the  North  !"  ejaculated  Bradley,  as  ho 
cast  his  defiant  glances  at  the  speaker.  '^  I  adhere  to  no 
North,"  he  contmued;  "I  adhere  to  my  country — my 
whole  country — and  will,  so  help  me  God !  as  long  as  I 
have  breath!"  he  added,  as  he  brought  the  sledge-ham- 
mer to  the  ground  with  great  force. 

"You  had  better  let  us  have  him,  Bradley,  without 
further  trouble.  You  are  only  risking  your  own  neck 
by  your  interference." 

"  Not  as  long  as  I  have  life  to  defend  him,"  was  the 
answer.  Then  pointing  toward  the  door,  he  continued : 
"  Leave  my  shop !"  and  as  he  spoke  he  again  raised  the 
filedge-hammer. 

They  hesitated  a  moment,  but  the  firm  demeanor  of 
the  smith  awed  them  into  compliance  with  the  order. 

*'  You'll  regret  this  in  the  morning,  Bradley,"  said  the 
leader,  as  he  retreated. 

"  Go !"  was  the  reply  of  the  smith,  as  he  pointed 
toward  the  door. 

Bradley  followed  them  menacingly  to  the  entrance  of 
the  shop,  and  watched  them  until  they  disappeared  from 
sight  down  the  road.  When  he  turned  to  go  back  in 
the  shop  he  was  met  by  the  fugitive,  who,  grasping  his 
hand,  exclaimed : 

"Oh!  how  shall  I  ever  be  able  to  thank  you,  Mr. 
Bradley  ?" 

"  This  is  no  time  for  thanks,  Mr.  Peters,  unless  it  is 
to  the  Lord ;  you  must  fly  the  country,  and  that  at 
once." 

"  But  my  wife  and  children  ?" 

"  Mattie  and  I  will  attend  to  them.  But  you  must  go 
t4>.night." 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACKHICE.     483 

"To-night?" 

"  Yes.  In  th  ^  morning,  if  not  sooner,  they  will  return 
with  a  large  Ibrie  and  carry  you  off,  and  probably  Lang 
you  on  the  first  tree.     You  must  leave  to-night." 

"But  how?" 

"  Mattie  will  conduct  you  to  the  rendezvous  of  our 
friends.  There  is  a  party  made  up  who  intend  to  cross 
the  mountains  and  join  the  Union  forces  in  Kentucky. 
They  were  to  start  to-night.  They  have  provisions  for 
the  journey,  and  will  gladly  share  with  you." 

At  this  moment  a  young  girl  entered  the  shop,  and 
hurriedly  said  : 

"  Father  what  is  the  trouble  to-night  ?"  Her  eye 
resting  upon  the  fugitive,  she  approached  him,  and  in  a 
sympathizing  tone,  continued  :  "Ah,  Mr.  Peters,  has 
your  turn  come  so  soon  ?" 

This  was  Mattie.  She  was  a  fine,  rosy  girl,  just  passed 
her  eighteenth  birthday,  and  the  sole  daughter  of  Brad- 
ley's house  and  heart.  She  was  his  all — his  wife  had 
been  dead  five  years.  He  turned  toward  her,  and  in  a 
mild  but  firm  tone,  said  : 

"  Mattie,  you  must  conduct  Mr.  Peters  to  the  rendez- 
vous immediately ;  then  return,  and  we  will  call  at  the 
parsonage  to  cheer  his  family.  Quick  !  No  time  is  to 
be  lost.  The  bloodhounds  are  upon  the  track.  They 
have  scented  their  prey,  and  will  not  rest  until  they 
have  secured  him.  They  may  return  muc^  sooner 
than  we  expect.  So  haste,  daughter,  and  God  bless 
ye!" 

This  was  not  the  first  time  that  Mattie  had  been  called 
upon  to  perform  such  an  office.  She  had  safely  conducted 
several   Union  men,  who  had  been  hunted  from  their 


4  84     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE   AlfD    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

homes,  and  sought  shelter  with  her  father,  to  the  i»lace 
designated,  from  whence  they  made  their  escape  across 
the  mountains  into  Kentucky.  Turning  to  the  fugitive, 
she  said : 

"  Come,  Mr.  Peters,  do  not  stand  upon  ceremony,  but 
follow  me." 

She  left  the  shop,  and  proceeded  but  a  short  distance 
up  the  road,  and  then  turned  off  in  a  by-path  through  a 
strip  of  woods,  closely  followed  by  the  fugitive.  A  brisk 
walk  of  half  an  hour  brought  them  to  a  small  house  that 
stood  alone  in  a  secluded  spot.  Here  Mat  tie  was  received 
with  a  warm  welcome  by  several  men,  some  of  whom 
were  engaged  in  running  bullets,  while  others  were  clean- 
ing their  rifles  and  fowling-pieces.  The  lady  of  the  house, 
a  hale  woman  of  forty,  was  busy  stuffing  the  wallets  of 
the  men  with  biscuits.  She  greeted  Mattie  very  kindly. 
The  fugitive,  who  was  known  to  two  or  three  of  the 
party,  was  received  in  a  bluff,  frank  spirit  of  kindness 
by  all,  saying  that  they  would  make  him  chaplain  of 
the  Tennessee  Union  regiment,  when  they  got  to  Ken- 
tucky. 

When  Mattie  was  about  to  return  home,  two  of  the 
party  prepared  to  accompany  her ;  but  she  protested, 
warning  them  of  the  danger,  as  the  enemy  were  doubts 
less  abroad  in  search  of  the  minister.  But,  notwith- 
standing, they  insisted,  and  accompanied  her,  until  she 
reached  the  road,  a  short  distance  above  her  father's 
shop.  Mattie  hurried  on,  but  was  somewhat  surprised 
on  reaching  the  shop  to  find  it  vacant.  She  hastened 
into  the  house,  but  her  father  was  not  there.  As  she 
returned  to  go  into  the  shop,  she  thought  she  could  hear 
Uie  noLse  of  horses'  hoofs  clattering  down  the  road.     She 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     485 

listened,  but  the  sound  soon  died  away.  Going  into 
the  shop  she  blew  the  fire  into  a  blaze;  then  beheld  that 
the  things  were  in  great  confusion,  and  that  spots  of 
blood  were  upon  the  ground.  She  was  now  convinced 
that  her  ftither  had  been  seized  and  carried  off,  but  not 
without  a  desperate  struggle  on  his  part. 

As  Mattie  stood  gazing  at  the  pools  of  blood,  a  wagon 
containing  two  persons  drove  up,  one  of  whom,  an 
athletic  young  man  of  five-and-twenty  years,  got  out 
and  entered  the  shop. 

"  Good-evening,  Mattie !  Where  is  your  father  ?"  he 
said.  Then  observing  the  strange  demeanor  of  the  girl, 
he  continued,  "  Why,  Mattie,  what  ails  you  ?  What 
has  happened  ?" 

The  young  girl's  heart  was  too  full  for  her  tongue  to 
give  utterance,  and  throwing  herself  upon  the  shoulder 
)f  the  young  man,  she  sobbingly  exclaimed  : 

^^They  have  carried  him  off!  Dont  you  see  tho 
hloodr 

"Have  they  dared  to  lay  hands  upon  your  father? 
The  infernal  wretches  !" 

Mattie  recovered  herself  sufficiently  to  narrate  the 
events  of  the  evening.  When  she  had  finished,  he  ex- 
claimed : 

"  Oh,  that  I  should  have  lived  to  see  the  day  that  old 
Tennessee  was  to  be  thus  disgraced  !     Here,  Joe !" 

At  this,  the  other  person  in  the  wagon  alighted  and 
entered  the  shop.     He  was  a  stalwart  negro. 

"  Joe,"  continued  the  young  man,  "you  would  like 
your  freedom  ?" 

"  Well,  Massa  John,  I  wouldn't  like  much  to  leave 
jrou,  but  den  I'se  like  to  be  a  free  man." 


486     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

"  Joe,  the  white  race  have  maintained  their  liberty  by 
their  valor.  Are  you  willing  to  fight  for  yours !  Ay ! 
fight  to  the  death  1" 

"  I'se  fight  for  yous  any  time,  Massa  John." 

''I  believe  you,  Joe.  But  I  have  desperate,  work  on 
hand  to-night,  and  I  do  not  want  you  to  engage  in  it 
without  a  prospect  of  reward.  If  I  succeed,  I  will  make 
you  a  free  man.  It  is  a  matter  of  life  and  death — will 
yea  go  ?" 

"  I  will,  massa." 

"  Then  kneel  down,  and  swear  before  the  everliving 
God,  that,  if  you  falter  or  shrink  the  danger,  you  may 
hereafter  be  consigned  to  everlasting  fire !" 

"I  swear,  massa,"  said  the  negro,  kneeling.  ^*An'  1 
hope  that  Gor  Almighty  may  strike  me  dead  if  I  don't 
go  wid  you  through  fire  and  water,  and  ebery  ting !" 

"I  am  satisfied,  Joe,"  said  his  master;  then  turning 
to  the  young  girl,  who  had  been  a  mute  spectator  of  this 
singular  scene,  he  continued ;  "  Now,  Mattie,  you  get  in 
the  wagon  and  I'll  drive  down  to  the  parsonage,  and 
you  remain  there  with  Mrs.  Peters  and  the  children 
until  I  bring  you  some  intelligence  of  your  father." 

While  the  sturdy  old  blacksmith  was  awaiting  the 
return  of  his  daughter,  the  party  that  he  had  repulsed 
returned  with  increased  numbers  and  demanded  the 
minister.  A  fierce  quarrel  ensued^  which  resulted  in 
their  seizing  the  smith  and  carrying  him  off.  They  con- 
veyed him  to  a  tavern  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  shop, 
and  there  he  was  arraigned  before  what  was  termed  a 
vigilance  committee.  The  committee  met  in  a  long 
room  on  the  ground-floor,  dim  y  lighted  by  a  lamp 
which  stood  upon  a  small  table  in  front  of  the  chairman 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     487 

In  about  half  an  liour  after  Bradley's  arrival  ho  was 
placed  before  the  chah-nian  for  examination.  The  old 
man's  arms  -svere  pinioned,  but  nevertheless  he  cast  a 
defiant  look  upon  those  around  him. 

"  Bradley,  this  is  a  grave  charge  against  you.  What 
Lave  you  to  say?"  said  the  chairman. 

*' What  authority  have  you  to  ask?"  demanded  the 
smith,  fiercely  eyeing  his  interrogator. 

'<  The  authority  of  the  people  of  Tennessee,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  I  deny  it." 

"  Your  denials  amount  to  nothing.  You  are  accused 
of  harboring  an  abolitionist,  and  the  penalty  of  that  act, 
you  know,  is  death.  What  have  you  to  say  to  the 
charge  ?" 

"  I  say  that  it  is  a  lie,  and  that  he  who  utters  such 
charges  against  me  is  a  scoundrel." 

"  Simpson,"  said  the  chairman  to  the  leader  of  the 
band  that  had  captured  Bradley,  and  who  now  appeared 
with  a  large  bandage  about  his  head,  to  bind  up  a  wound 
which  was  the  result  of  a  blow  from  the  fist  of  Bradley. 
"  Simpson,"  continued  the  chairman,  "  what  have  you 
to  say  ?" 

The  leader  then  stated  that  he  had  tracked  the  preacher 
to  the  blacksmith  shop,  and  that  Bradley  had  resisted 
his  arrest;  and  that  upon  their  return  he  could  not  be 
found,  and  that  the  prisoner  refused  to  give  any  infor- 
mation  concerning  him. 

''  Do  you  hear  that,  Mr.  Bradley  ?"  said  the  cliairman. 

"  I  do.     Wh  t  of  it  ?"  was  the  reply. 

« Is  it  true  ?' 

"Yes." 


488     DEEDS   OF    HEROIC   COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

"  Where  is  the  preacher  ?" 

"  That  is  none  of  3^our  business." 

"  Mr.  Bradley,  this  tribunal  is  not  to  be  insulted  with 
impunity.  I  again  demand  to  know  where  Mr.  Pelei'8 
b?     Will  you  tell?" 

"  No." 

"  Mr.  Bradley,  it  is  well  known  that  you  are  not  only 
a  member  but  an  exhorter  in  Mr.  Peters's  church,  and 
therefore  some  little  excuse  is  to  be  made  for  your  zeal 
in  defending  him.  He  is  from  the  North,  and  has  long 
been  suspected,  and  is  now  accused  of  being  an  abolition- 
ist and  a  dangerous  man.  You  do  not  deny  sheltering 
him,  and  refusing  to  give  him  up.  If  you  persist  in  this 
you  must  take  the  consequences.  I  ask  you  for  the  last 
time  if  you  will  inform  us  of  his  whereabouts  ?" 

"And  again  I  answer  no !" 

"  Mr.  Bradley,  there  is  also  another  serious  charge 
dgainst  you,  and  your  conduct  in  this  instance  confirms 
it.  You  are  accused  of  giving  comfort  to  the  enemies 
of  your  country.     What  have  you  to  say  to  that  ?" 

"I  say  it  is  false,  and  that  he  who  makes  it  is  a 
villain." 

"  I  accuse  him  with  being  a  traitor,  aiding  the  cause 
of  the  Union,"  said  Simpson. 

"  K  my  adherence  to  the  Union  merits  for  me  the 
name  of  traitor,  then  I  am  proud  of  it.  I  have  been  for 
the  Union — I  am  still  for  the  Union — and  will  be  for  the 
Union  as  long  as  life  lasts." 

At  these  words  the  chairman  clutched  a  pistol  that 
lay  upon  the  table  before  him,  and  the  bright  blade  of 
Simpson's  Bowie  knife  glittered  near  Bradley's  breast ; 
but   before  he   could  make   the  fatal  plunge,  a   swift- 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC   COURAGE    AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.    489 

winged  messenger  of  death  laid  him  dead  at  the  feet  of 
his  intended  victim  ;  while  at  the  same  instant  another 
plunged  into  the  heart  of  the  chairman,  and  he  fell  for- 
ward over  the  table,  extinguishing  the  lights,  and 
leaving  all  in  darkness.  Confusion  reigned.  The  in- 
mates of  the  room  were  panic-stricken.  In  the  midst 
of  the  consternation  a  firm  hand  rested  upon  Bradley's 
shoulder ;  his  bonds  were  severed,  and  he  hurried  out 
of  the  open  window.  He  was  again  a  free  man,  but  was 
hastened  forward  into  the  woods  at  the  back  of  the 
tavern,  and  through  them  to  a  road  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant,  then  into  a  wagon,  and  driven  rapidly  off.  In 
half  an  hour  the  smith  made  one  of  tl*e  party  at  the 
rendezvous  that  was  to  start  at  midnight  across  the 
mountains. 

"John,"  said  the  smith,  as  he  grasped  the  hand  of  his 
rescuer,  while  his  eyes  glistened,  and  a  tear  couised  down 
his  furrowed  cheek,  "  I  should  like  to  see  Mattie  before 

I  go." 

"  You  shall,"  was  the  reply. 

In  another  hour  the  blacksmith  clasped  his  daughtei 
to  his  bosom. 

It  was  an  affecting  scene — there,  in  that  lone  house 
in  the  wilderness,  surrounded  by  men  who  had  been 
driven  from  their  homes  for  their  attachment  to  the 
principles  for  which  their  patriot  fathers  fought  and  bled 
— the  sturdy  old  smith,  a  type  of  the  horues  of  other 
days,  pressing  his  daughter  to  his  breast,  while  the  tears 
coursed  down  his  furrowed  cheek.  He  felt  that  perhaps 
it  was  to  be  his  last  embrace  ;  for  his  resolute  heart  had 
resolved  to  sacrifice  his  all  upon  the  altar  cf  his  country, 
and  he  could  no  longer  watch  over  the  safety  of  hii 


490    DEEDS   OF    HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

only  child.  Was  she  to  be  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  par- 
ricidal wretches  who  were  attempting  to  destroy  the 
country  that  had  given  them  birth,  nursed  their  infancy, 
and  opened  a  wide  field  for  them  to  display  the  abilities 
with  which  nature  had  endowed  them  ? 

"Mr.  Bradley,"  said  his  rescuer,  after  a  short  pause, 
"  as  you  leave  the  State  it  will  be  necessary,  in  these 
troublous  times,  for  Mattie  to  have  a  protector,  and  1 
have  th  ought  that  our  marriage  had  better  take  place 
to-night." 

"  Well,  John,"  he  said,  as  he  relinquished  his  embrace 
and  gazed  with  a  fond  look  at  her  who  was  so  dear  to 
him,  "  I  shall  not  object,  if  Mattie  is  willing." 

"Oh!  we  arranged  that"  as  we  came  along,"  replied 
the  young  man. 

Mattie  blushed,  but  said  nothing. 

In  a  short  time  the  hunted-down  minister  was  called 
upon  to  perform  a  marriage  service  in  that  lone  house 
It  was  an  impressive  scene.  Yet  no  diamonds  glittered 
upon  the  neck  of  the  bride ;  no  pearls  looped  up  her 
tresses ;  but  a  pure  love  glowed  within  her  heart  as  she 
gave  utterance  to  a  vow  which  was  registered  in  heaven. 

Bradley,  soon  after  the  ceremony,  bade  his  daughter 
and  her  husband  an  affectionate  farewell,  and  set  out 
with  his  friends  to  join  others  who  had  been  driven 
from  their  homes,  and  were  now  rallying  under  the  old 
flag  to  fight  for  the  Union,  and,  as  they  said,  "  Redeem 
old  Tennessee !" 


John  Davis  the  Heroic  Sailor. — When  the  record 
•>f  the  war  comes  to  be  written,  not  the  least  interesting 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     491 

feature  of  it  will  be  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  humble  men 
who  compose  the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  and  navy. 
Instances  of  individual  heroism  and  self-sacrifice  are 
already  presenting  themselves  in  abundance,  and  when 
the  conllict  is  happily  ended,  will  furnish  a  rich  harv^est 
f)f  materials  for  the  annalist  and  historian.  One  of  the 
most  conspicuous  of  these  in  any  chronicle  of  the  war, 
must  be  the  case  of  the  gallant  tar,  John  Davis,  whose 
courage  in  the  attack  on  Elizabeth  City,  N.  C,  was  made 
the  subject  of  special  mention  by  his  immediate  com- 
mander and  by  Commodore  Goldsborough,  who  thus 
united  to  make  manifest  the  bond  of  true  chivalry, 
which  binds  together  all  brave  men,  however  widely 
Beperated  their  station.  The  following  is  the  story  of 
this  brave  sailor  : — 

"  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Chapin,  commanding  United  States 
steamer  "  Valley  City,"  off  Roanoke  Island,  writing  to 
Commodore  Goldsborough,  noticed  a  magnanimous  act 
of  bravery  by  John  Davis,  gunner's  mate  on  board  his 
vessel,  at  the  taking  of  Elizabeth  City.  He  says  John 
Davis  was  at  his  station  during  the  action,  in  the  mag- 
azine, issuing  powder,  when  a  shell  from  the  enemy's 
battery  penetrated  into  the  magazine,  and  exploded  out- 
side of  it.  He  threw  himself  over  a  barrel  of  powder, 
protecting  it  with  his  own  body  from  the  fire,  while  at 
the  same  time  passing  out  the  powder  for  the  guns. 

*^  Commodore  Gold.sborough,  in  transmitting  this  let 
ter  to  the  Navy  Department,  says  :  '  It  afibrds  me  infi- 
nite pleasure  to  forward  this  communication  to  the  Navy 
Department,  to  whose  especial  consideration  I  beg  leave 
to  recommend  the  gallant  and  noble  sailor  alluded  to ;' 
and  he  adds,  in  a  postscript,  '  Davis  actually  seated  him- 


492    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

self  on  the  barrel,  the  top  being  out,  and  in  this  porition 
he  remained  until  the  flames  were  extinguished.'** 

The  Navy  Department  promptly  reward(^d  him.  He 
was  a  gunner's  mate,  receiving  a  salary  of  twenty-five 
dollars  per  month  or  three  hundred  dollars  per  year. 
The  evidence  of  his  bravery  was  received  at  the  Navy 
Department,  and  on  the  next  day  Secretary  Welles 
appointed  him  a  gunner,  an  office  which  carries  with  it 
a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars  per  year,  and  is  a  life 
appointment,  the  salary  increasing  by  length  of  service 
to  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  the 
medal  of  honor  was  conferred  upon  him,  by  order  of 
Congress. 


DRIVING  HOME  THE  COWS. 


BT  MISS    KATE    P.  OSGOOD. 


Out  of  the  clover  and  blue-eyed  grass 
He  turned  them  into  the  river-lane  ; 
One  after  another  he  let  them  pass, 

Then  fastened  the  meadow  bars  again. 

Under  the  willows,  and  over  the  hill, 
He  patiently  followed  their  sober  pace ; 

The  merry  whistle  for  once  was  still. 

And  something  shadowed  the  sunny  face. 

Only  a  boy  1  and  his  father  had  said 
He  never  could  let  his  youngest  go : 

Two  alreadj-^  were  lying  dead 

Under  the  feet  of  the  trampling  foe. 

But  after  the  evening  work  was  done, 
And  the  frogs  were  loud  in  the  meadow-swamp. 

Over  his  shoulder  he  slung  his  gun 

And  stealthily  followed  -he  foot-path  damp. 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COUUAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     493 

Across  the  clover,  and  through  the  wheat, 

with  resolute  heart  and  purpose  grim, 
Though  eokl  was  the  dew  on  his  hurrying  feet, 

And  the  blind  bat's  flitting  startled  him. 

Thrice  since  then  had  the  lanes  been  white, 
And  the  orchards  sweet  with  apple-bloom; 

And  now,  when  the  cows  came  back  at  night, 
The  feeble  father  drove  them  home. 

For  news  had  come  to  the  lonely  farm 

That  three  were  lying  where  two  had  lain ; 

And  the  old  man's  tremulous,  palsied  arm 
Could  never  lean  on  a  son's  again. 

The  summer  day  grew  cool  and  late. 

He  went  for  the  cows  when  the  work  was  don6 : 

But  down  the  lane,  as  he  opened  the  gate, 
He  saw  them  coming  one  by  one : 

Brindle,  Ebony,  Speckle,  and  Bess, 

Shaking  their  horns  in  the  evening  wind ; 

Cropping  the  butter-cups  out  of  the  grass — 
But  who  was  it  following  close  behina  ? 

Loosely  swung  in  the  idle  air 

The  empty  sleeve  of  army  blue  ; 
And  worn  and  pale,  from  the  crisping  hair, 

Looked  out  a  face  that  the  father  knew. 

For  Southern  prisons  will  sometimes  yawn. 

And  yield  their  dead  unto  life  again  ; 
And  the  day  that  comes  with  a  cloudy  dawn 

In  golden  glory  at  last  may  wane. 

The  great  tears  sprang  to  their  meeting  eyes ; 

For  the  heart  must  speak  when  the  lips  are  dmiib; 
And  under  the  silent  evening  skies 

Together  they  foUowe.   the  tattle  home. 


494     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 


THE    LOYALTY   OF  A  CHARLESTON   WOMAN. 

Wide  sppead  as  was  the  heresy  of  secession,  and  boast- 
ful as  the  rebels  were  that  the  entire  population  of  most 
of  the  Southern  States  were  radically  and  thoroughly 
secessionists,  there  was,  in  fact,  no  part  of  the  South  in 
which  there  were  not  earnest  and  devoted  friends  of 
freedom  and  Union  among  the  whites.  The  negroea 
were  almost  without  exception  loyal.  Even  Charleston, 
hotbed  of  treason  as  it  was,  had  its  loyal  league  of  Union 
men  and  women,  who,  at  the  peril  of  liberty  and  life, 
performed  acts  of  kindness  to  Union  prisoners  confined 
there,  aided  them  in  escaping,  and  gave  them  shelter, 
food,  and  clothing,  till  they  could  get  away  from  the 
city.  Captain  W.  H.  Telford,  of  the  Fiftieth  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  escaped  from  Roper  Hospital  Prison, 
in  Charleston,  and  was  for  five  weeks  concealed  by  these 
devoted  Unionists.  He  relates  an  incident  which  oc* 
ourred  to  one  of  the  party  who  escaped  with  him,  which 
shows  the  great  peril  to  which  the  members  of  the  league 
sometimes  subjected  themselves  to  serve  the  cause  they 
loved.  It  should  be  premised  that  some  of  the  male 
members  of  the  league  had  wives  who  were  very  bitter 
rebels,  and  some  of  the  ladies  who  were  loyal  had  hus- 
bands who  were  actively  engaged  in  the  rebel  cause. 

The  escaped  prisoners  had  remained  for  several  days 
closely  concealed  by  a  trusty  member  of  the  league,  in 
consequence  of  the  excitement  in  the  city  over  the  re- 
port that  Yankee  prisoners  were  being  harbored  by  some 
of  the  inhabitants,  a  report  which  rendered  it  unsafe  for 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     495 

them  to  be  seen  in  the  streets,  even  in  disguise.  One 
evening,  however,  one  of  the  party  ventured  to  call 
upon  one  of  the  loyal  ladies  who  had  been  so  kind  to 
tlw3in,  but  whose  husband  was  a  bitter  rebel,  engaged  in 
blockade  running,  and  was  at  that  time  away. 

While  enjoying  the  pleasant  hours  of  the  evening  with 
his  loyal  friend  steps  were  heard  in  the  front  yard,  and 
soon  the  voice  of  the  husband  was  heard  in  the  hall. 
There  was  no  opportunity  of  escape,  and  the  only  thing 
that  could  be  done  was  to  hide  and  trust  to  luck.  But 
where  ?  was  another  difficult  question, 

A  closet  in  the  lady's   bedroom  was  the  only  refuge. 

Mrs. hurried  him  into  it,  and  was  just  fastening 

the  door  when  her  husband  stood  at  the  bedroom  door, 
ind  trying  it  found  it  locJced.  She  sprung  to  open  it, 
and  encountered  her  liege  lord  in  a  towering  passion, 
who  demanded  to  know  the  cause  of  this  strange  pro- 
'»,eeding. 

He  at  once  accused  her  of  infidelity,  of  receiving  visits 
from  gentlemen  in  his  absence,  and  said,  further,  that 
he  had  heard  one  in  the  house  when  he  came  in,  and  he 
wanted  to  know  the  whole  truth  of  the  matter. 

She  could  only  reply,  in  tears,  that  she  loas  true  to 
him  ;  that  all  the  visits  she  had  ever  received  were  only 
friendly  ones,  and  she  begged  him  not  to  condemn  her 
but  to  believe  what  she  told  him. 

He  was  dissatisfied  with  this  explanation,  and  de- 
manded what  had  become  of  the  man  who  was  there 
when  he  came  in.  His  wife  made  no  reply,  and  he 
began  to  search  the  room,  when,  oh,  liorrlhle !  in  the 
closet  he  found  a  man  full  dressed  in  rebel  uniform. 

"  You  villain  !  what  are  you  here  for  ?     Guilty,  both 


r96     DEEDS   or   HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

.)f  you  ;  br:.ng  me  mj  pistol  and  I  will  punish  the  guiltj 
pair      Police  !  help !"  shouted  the  husband. 

"  Don  t,  my  dear  husband,  kill  him,  for  he  is  not 
guilty ;  let  him  go." 

"  Confess  all,  or  I  will  kill  you  both,"  said  the  enraged 
husband. 

"As  God  lives,  we  are  innocent  of  any  crime,"  pleaded 
tihe  suffering  wife. 

"Away  with  such  talk,  you  guilty  wretches.  I  will 
act  hear  it,"  said  the  now  infuriated  husband,  as  he 
rushed  out  of  the  room  to  get  his  pistol,  while  the 
Unionist  leaped  out  of  the  first  window  and  made  good 
his  escape.  How  the  affair  ended  Captain  Telford  never 
learned,  as  he  left  the  city  shortly  after,  and  none  of 
the  escaped  prisoners  were  willing  to  meet  the  enraged 
bl«H3kade  runner  again,  or  subject  his  wife  to  so  severe  a 
inai      Her  loyalty  cost  a  price. 


A  Wounded  Color  Bearer. — A  touching  incident  in 
th"  great  battle  of  Gettysburg  will  show  how  courage 
inaiiifests  itself.  The  color  sergeant  of  the  Sixteenth 
Vermont  fell  mortally  wounded.  At  once  a  dozen  men 
rustled  forward.  The  poor  wounded  sergeant  grasped 
the  staff  with  both  his  clenched  hands,  his  eyes  were 
alr»^ady  dimmed  with  death ;  he  could  not  see  who  it 
wad  that  tried  to  wrest  his  charge  from  him.  "Are  you 
friends  or  enemies  ?"  he  cried  out.  "  We  are  friends,** 
was  the  reply,  "  give  us  the  colors."  "  Then,  friends,** 
said  he,  "  I  am  mortally  wounded  ;  let  me  hold  up  the 
flag  till  I  die" — and  so  saying,  he  fell  back— dead. 
Surely,  a  nobler  soldier  than  this  poor  fellow  never 
lived. 


DEEDS  OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     497 

COLONEL   INNIS, 

OR   "WE   don't   surrender   MUCH." 

Lavergne,  Tennessee,  a  mere  hamlet,  but  a  position 
of  great  strategic  importance,  between  Nashville  and 
Murfreesboro,  Tennessee,  had  been  garrisoned  by  a 
Biuall  Union  force  early  in  December,  1862.  When 
General  Rosecrans  commenced  his  movement  from 
Nashville  to  Murfreesboro,  in  the  latter  part  of  that 
month,  the  movement  which  culminated  in  the  battle 
of  Stone  river,  it  was  absolutely  essential  that  Lavergne 
should  be  held,  yet  the  general  could  spare  but  a  small 
force  for  it,  and  he  knew  that  the  rebel  cavalry  general, 
Wheeler,  would  attack  it  with  one  greatly  superior. 
In  this  emergency  he  knew  of  no  one  in  whose  bravery 
and  unflinching  resolution  to  hold  the  position  against 
heavy  odds  he  could  so  fully  rely  as  Colonel  William  P. 
Innis  of  the  First  Michigan  Engineers.  Innis's  regiment 
consisted  of  but  three  hundred  and  eight-nine  men,  and 
Wheeler  would  attack  with  three  thousand  cavalry  and 
two  field  pieces,  while  Lmis  had  no  artillery  and  only 
some  rudely  extemporized  breastworks.  "*  Edmund 
Kirke"  (Mr.  J.  R.  Gilmore)  tells  the  story  of  tho 
battle,  as  he  heard  it  from  both  sides,  as  follows : 

*' Colonel  Innis,"  said  General  Rosecrans,  'Svill  yon 
hold  Lavergne  ?" 

"I'll  try,  general." 

"  I   ask  if  you  will  do  it  I"  exclaimed  the   laconic 
general. 
33 


498     DEEDS   OF    HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

•*  I  WILL,"  quietly  responded  the  colonel,  and  he  kepi 
his  word. 

Just  as  the  New  Year's  sun  was  sending  its  first 
greeting  to  the  little  band  that  crouched  there  behind 
the  wagons,  the  head  of  the  rebel  column  emerged  from 
the  woods  which  skirt  the  southern  side  of  the  town, 
and  Captain  Firman,  riding  forward  to  the  flimsy  breast- 
work, cried  out: 

"  General  Wheeler  demands  an  instant  and  uncondi- 
tional surrender." 

"  Give  General  Wheeler  my  compliments,  and  tell 
him  we  don't"  surrender  much,"  came  back  to  him  from 
behind  the  brush-heaps. 

Mounting  then  his  Kentucky  roan,  the  heroic  colonel 
rode  slowly  around  the  rude  intrenchment.  "  Boys," 
he  said,  ^'  thoy  are  three  thousand — have  you  said  your 
prayers  ?" 

"  We  are  ready,  colonel.  Let  them  come  on !"  an- 
swered the  brave  Michigan  men. 

And  they  did  come  on ! 

*'Six  times  we  swept  down  on  them,"  said  Captain 
Firman  to  me,  "  and  six  times  I  rode  up  with  a  flag,  and 
summoned  them  to  surrender ;  but  each  time  Innis  sent 
back  the  message,  varied,  now  and  then,  with  an  adjec- 
tive, 'AVe  don't  surrender  much.'  He  sat  his  horse 
during  the  first  charges,  as  if  on  dress  parade ;  but  at 
the  third  fire  I  saw  him  go  down.  I  thought  we  had 
winged  him,  but  when  we  charged  again,  there  he  sat 
as  eool  as  if  the  thermometer  had  been  at  zero.  One 
of  our  men  took  deliberate  aim,  and  again  he  went 
down;  but  when  I  rode  up  the  fifth  time  and  shouted, 
'  We'll  not  summon  you  again — surrender  at  once !'  it 


DEEDS   OF    HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     499 

was  Innis  who  yelled  out,  *  Pray  don't,  for  we  d&tit  sur- 
reiuler  much'  At  the  seventh  charge  I  was  wounded, 
and  the  general  sent  another  officer  with  the  summons. 
Your  people  halted  him  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the 
breastwork,  and  an  ollicer,  in  a  cavalryman's  overcoat, 
came  out  to  meet  him.  ['  They  had  killed  my  two 
horses,'  said  Colonel  Innis  to  me  afterward,  *  and  I  was 
iifraid  they  would  singe  my  uniform — the  fire  was  ratlier 
hi^t — so  I  covered  it.'] 

*'  *  What  is  your  rank,  sir  ?'  demanded  the  Union 
officer. 

" '  Major,  sir.* 

"  '  Go  back  and  tell  General  Wheeler  that  he  insults 
me  by  sending  one  of  your  rank  to  treat  with  one  of 
mine.  Tell  him,  too,  I  have  not  come  here  to  surren- 
der.    I  shall  fire  on  the  next  flag.' 

"It  was  Innis,  and  by  that  ruse  he  made  us  believe 
he  had  received  reinforcements.  Thinking  it  was  so, 
we  drew  off,  and  the  next  day  Innis  sent  Wheeler  word 
by  a  prisoner,  that  he  had  whipped  us  with  three  liun« 
dred  and  eighty-nine  men  !" 


THE  BALLAD  OF  ISHMAEL  DAY. 

One  summer  morning  a  daring  band 

Of  rebels  rode  into  Maryland — 

Over  the  prosperous,  peaceful  farms 

Sending  terror  and  strange  alarms, 

The  clatter  of  hoofs  and  the  clarg  of  arms. 


600    DEEDS   OF  HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

Fresh  from  the  South,  where  the  hungry  pine. 
They  a'e  like  Pharaoh's  starving  kine ; 

They  swept  the  land  like  devouring  surge, 
And  left  their  path,  to  its  furthest  verge, 
Bare  as  the  track  of  the  locust-scourge. 

"The  rebels  are  coming  1"  far  and  near 

Rang  the  tidings  of  dread  and  fear ; 

Some  paled,  and  cowered,  and  sought  to  hide- 
Some  stood  erect  in  their  fearless  pride — 
And  women  shuddered  and  children  cried. 

But  others — ^vipers  in  human  form, 
Stinging  the  bosom  that  kept  them  warm — 
Welcomed  with  triumph  the  thievish  band, 
Hurried  to  offer  the  friendly  hand. 
As  the  rebels  rode  into  Maryland : 

Made  them  merry  with  food  and  wine, 
Clad  them  in  garments  rich  and  fine. 

For  rags  and  hunger  to  make  amends ; 

Flattered  them,  praised  them,  with  selfish  endu ; 
"  Leave  us  scathless,  for  we  are  friends  !" 

Could  traitors  trust  to  a  traitor  ?     No ! 

Little  they  favored  friend  or  foe, 

But  gathered  the  cattle  the  farms  across, 
Flinging  back,  with  a  scornful  toss — 
"  If  ye  are  friends  ye  can  bear  the  loss !" 

Flushed  with  triumi)li,  and  wine,  and  prey, 
They  neared  the  dwelling  of  Ishmael  Day ; 
A  sturdy  veteran,  gray  and  old. 
With  heart  of  a  patriot,  firm  and  bold, 
Strong  and  steadfast — unbribed,  unsold. 

And  Ishmael  Day,  his  brave  head  bare. 
His  white  locks  tossed  by  the  morning  air. 
Fearless  of  danger,  or  deilth,  or  scare, 
Went  out  to  raise,  b}'  the  farm  yard  bars, 
The  dear  old  flag  of  the  Stripes  and  Star*. 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.    501 

Proudly,  steadily  up  it  flew, 

Gorgeous  "with  ciimson  and  ■white  and  blue! 
His  withered  hand,  as  he  shook  it  freer, 
Ma}'  have  trembled,  but  not  with  fear, 
While,  shouting,  the  rebels  drew  more  near 

"Halt  /" — They  had  seen  the  hated  sign 
Floating  free  from  old  Ishmacl's  line — 

"  Lower  that  rag  !"  was  their  wrathful  cry. 

" Never  1"  rung  Ishmael  Day's  reply; 

"  Fire,  if  it  please  you — I  can  but  die  1" 

One,  with  a  loud,  defiant  laugh. 

Left  his  comrades  and  ncared  the  staff. 

"Dow7i!" — came  the  fearless  patriot's  cry— 

"  Dare  to  lower  that  flag,  and  die  I 

One  must  bleed  for  it — you  or  1 1" 

But  caring  not  for  the  stern  command. 

He  drew  the  halliards  with  daring  hand  ; 
Ping  I  went  the  rifle-ball — down  he  came 
Under  the  flag  he  had  tried  to  shame — 
Old  Ishmael  Day  took  careful  aim  1 

Seventy  winters  and  three  had  shed 

Their  snowy  glories  on  Ishmael's  head ; 

But  though  cheeks  may  wither  and  locks  grow  grtky 
His  fame  shall  be  fresh  and  young  alway — 
Honor  be  to  old  Ishmael  Day  1 


«  I    ^  ■ »  » 


OLD  BURNS,  THE  HERO  OF  GETTYSBURG. 

In  the  town  of  Gettysburg  lives  an  old  couple  by  the 
name  of  Burns.  The  old  man  was  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  is  now  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  yet  the  frost* 


602    DEEDS  OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

of  many  winter  have  not  chilled  his  patriotism  or  dimiu 
ished  liis  love  for  the  old  flag  under  which  he  fought  in 
his  early  days.  When  the  rebels  invaded  the  beautiful 
Cumberland  valley,  and  were  marching  on  Gettysburg, 
Old  Bums  concluded  that  it  was  time  for  every  loyal 
man,  young  or  old,  to  be  up  and  doing  all  in  his  pcwer 
tc  beat  back  the  rebel  foe,  and  if  possible,  give  them  a 
quiet  resting-place  beneath  the  sod  they  were  polluting 
with  their  unhallowed  feet.  Taking  down  an  old  state 
musket  he  had  in  his  house,  he  commenced  running 
bullets.  The  old  lady,  seeing  him  engaged  in  this  work, 
inquired  what  in  the  world  he  was  going  to  do  ?  "Ah !" 
was  the  reply,  "  I  thought  some  of  the  boys  might  want 
the  old  gun,  and  I  am  getting  it  ready  for  them."  The 
rebels  came  on.  The  old  man  kept  on  the  lookout  until 
he  saw  the  stars  and  stripes  coming  in,  carried  by  our 
brave  boys.  This  was  more  than  he  could  stand ;  his 
patriotism  got  the  better  of  his  age  and  infirmity,  seizing 
his  musket,  he  started  out,  the  old  lady  called  after  him : 
"  Burns,  where  are  you  going  ?"  "  Oh !"  was  the  reply, 
*'  I  am  going  out  to  see  what  is  going  on."  He  immedi- 
ately went  to  a  Wisconsin  regiment  and  asked  if  they 
would  take  him  in.  They  told  him  they  would,  and 
gave  him  three  rousing  cheers.  The  old  musket  was 
soon  thrown  aside  and  a  first-rate  rifle  given  him,  and 
twenty-five  rounds  of  cartridges.  , 

The  enG;a2:ement  between  the  two  armies  soon  came 
on,  and  the  old  man  fired  eighteen  of  his  twenty-five 
rounds,  and  says  he  killed  three  rebs  to  his  certain 
knowledge.  Our  forces  were  compelled  to  fall  back, 
leaving  the  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field,  and  our 
hero,  having  three  wounds,  was  left  among  the  rest 


DEEDS   OP   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     503 

There  he  lay  in  citizen's  clothing,  and  knowing  that  if 
the  enemy  found  him  in  that  condition  death  would  be 
his  portion,  so  he  concluded  to  try  strategy  as  his  only 
hope.  Soon  the  rebels  came  up,  and  approached  him, 
saying :  "  Old  man,  what  are  you  doing  here  ?"  "  I  am 
lying  here  wounded,  as  you  see,"  he  replied.  "  Well, 
but  what  business  have  you  to  be  here  ?  and  who  wounded 
you,  our  troops  or  yours  ?"  "  I  don't  know  who  wounded 
me,  T  only  know  that  I  am  wounded  and  in  a  bad  fix.'* 
*^Well,  what  was  you  doing  here — what  was  your  busi- 
ness ?"  "  If  you  will  hear  my  story,  I  will  tell  you. 
My  old  woman's  health  is  very  poor,  and  I  was  over 
across  the  country  to  get  a  girl  to  help  her,  and  coming 
back,  before  I  knew  where  I  was  I  had  got  right  into 
this  fix  and  here  I  am."  "Where  do  you  live?"  in- 
quired the  rebels.  "  Over  in  town,  in  such  a  small 
house."  They  then  picked  him  up,  and  carried  him 
home  and  left  him.  But  they  soon  returned,  as  if  sus- 
pecting he  had  been  lying  to  them,  and  made  him  answer 
a  great  many  questions ;  but  he  stuck  to  his  old  story, 
and  failing  to  learn  any  thing  more  they  left  him  for 
good.  He  says  he  shall  always  feel  indebted  to  some  of 
his  copperhead  neighbors  for  the  last  call,  for  he  believes 
some  one  had  informed  them  of  him.  Soon  after  they 
left  a  bullet  came  into  his  room  and  struck  into  the  wall 
six  inches  above  where  he  lay  on  the  sofa.  His  wounds 
proved  to  be  only  flesh  wounds,  from  which  he  recovered 
with  his  patriotism  not  a  whit  abated. 


Coolness  and  Fortitude  of  a  Uniox  Soldier. — An 
instance  of  endurance  and  patience  occurred  at  the  hos- 


604     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE  AKD   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

pital  on  the  right  wing,  during  the  fighting  at  Fort 
Donelson,  Tennessee.  The  Union  columns  having  been 
forced  back,  the  hospital,  which  was  a  little  up  from  the 
road,  had  come  within  range  of  the  rebels'  fire,  and  was 
fast  becoming  an  unpleasant  position,  but  no  damage 
was  done  to  it.  Just  about  this  time  a  poor  fellow 
came  sauntering  leisurely  along,  with  the  lower  part  of 
his  arm  dangling  from  the  part  above  the  elbow,  it 
having  been  struck  with  a  grape-shot.  Meeting  the 
surgeon  in  the  house,  who  was  busily  attending  to  other 
wounded,  he  inquired  how  long  it  would  be  before  he 
could  attend  to  him,  and  was  told  in  a  few  minutes. 
"All  right,"  said  the  wounded  man,  and  then  walked 
outside  and  watched  the  progress  of  the  battle  for  a 
short  time,  and  then  returned  and  waited  the  surgeon's 
opportunity  to  attend  to  him.  The  arm  was  amputated 
without  a  murmur  from  the  unfortunate  man.  After 
the  stump  was  bound  up,  the  young  man  put  his  good 
hand  into  his  pocket,  and  took  out  a  piece  of  tobacco, 
from  which  he  took  a  chew,  then  walking  over  to  th« 
fire,  he  leaned  his  well  arm  against  the  mantle-piece, 
and  rested  his  head  against  his  arm,  and  kept  squirting 
tobacco  juice  into  the  fire,  whilst  his  eyes  were  cast  into 
the  flames,  all  with  the  most  astonishing  composure,  aa 
though  he  was  indulging  in  some  pleasant  reverie.  He 
remained  in  this  position  for  some  time,  and  then 
walked  off  and  went  out  of  sight  near  where  the  fight- 
ing was  going  on. 


DEEDS  OF   HEROIC   COURAGE   AND   SELF-SACRIFICE.     505 


CONDUCT  OF   THE  COLORED   TROOPS. 

There  has  been  much  dispute  and  many  exaggera- 
tions and  misstatements  in  relation  to  the  elTiciency  of 
ihe  colored  troops  in  the  war.  While  one  party  have 
contended  that  they  were  all  and  always  heroes,  another 
have  insisted  that  *'  Niggers  wouldn't  fight — they 
couldn't  be  made  to — they  had  seen  too  much  of  them 
to  believe  that  they  wouldn't  run  at  the  very  first  sight 
ol  a  hostile  white  man,"  etc. 

Both  were  in  the  wrong.  Secretary  Stanton,  m  a 
review  of  the  whole  course  of  the  war,  asserts  that  there 
has  been  no  perceptible  difference  between  the  conduct 
of  the  colored  and  the  white  troops ;  both  have  often 
displayed  extraordinary  bravery  at  some  times,  and  at 
others,  under  incompetent  leaders,  have  been  affected 
by  panic,  and  retreated,  and  in  proportion  to  theii 
numbers,  one  race  have  acted  thus  as  much  as  the 
other. 

This  testimony  is  remarkably  creditable  to  the  negroes. 
"When  we  reflect  that  the  greater  part  of  the  colored 
troops  had  been  field  hands,  slaves,  subject  to  the  irre- 
sponsible will  of  their  masters,  till  within  a  few  weeks, 
and,  in  many  instances,  a  few  days  of  their  entering  the 
service,  that  they  were  almost  entirely  uneducated,  and 
had  no  previous  military  drill  or  knowledge,  it  is  aston- 
ishing that  they  should  have  done  so  well.  There  was, 
indeed,  a  material  difference  between  the  intelligent 
free  negro  regiments  of  the  North,  and  those  composed 
of  freedmen  recently  emancipated  in  the  South,  just  an 


506     DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

there  was  a  difference  between  some  of  the  crack  New 
England  or  New  York  regiments,  composed  of  highly 
intelligent  men,  men  whose  bayonets  could  think,  and 
the  more  stolid  and  less  intellectual  regiments  of  some 
of  the  rural  districts,  in  which  one  third  or  one  half 
were  compelled  to  sign  their  names  to  the  roll  with  a 
cross. 

There  were  not  wanting,  however,  instances  where 
individual  companies  and  regiments  of  the  colored 
troops  covered  themselves  with  glory.  It  is  the  testi- 
mony of  officers,  not  specially  friendly  to  the  negro, 
that  no  finer  regiments  went  into  battle  in  any  part  of 
the  Union  than  the  Fifty-fourth  and  Fifty-fifth  Massa- 
chusetts; and  their  charge  at  Fort  Wagner  will  be 
reckoned  among  the  finest  passages  at  arms  in  history. 
Of  the  former  of  these  regiments,  in  this  terrible  and 
bloody  assault,  an  eye-witness  (R.  S.  Davis,  Esq.)  says : 
'*  Who  fight  more  valiantly  than  the  Fifty-fourth  Mas- 
sachusetts, as  they  struggle  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness 
and  death  to  vindicate  their  race?  They  lead  the 
advance,  and  follow  without  faltering  the  brave  Shaw, 
as  he  ascends  the  wall  of  the  fort.  The  parapet  is 
reached,  and  their  lines  melt  away  before  the  terrible 
fire  of  the  enemy ;  but  they  fight  on,  though  the  voice 
of  their  colonel  is  heard  no  more,  and  their  officers  have 
fallen  in  the  death  struggle.  Their  color  sergeant  is 
severely  wounded  in  the  thigh,  but  falling  upon  his 
knees,  he  plants  the  flag  upon  the  parapet,  and  lying 
down  holds  the  staff  firmly  in  his  hands.  Noble  Car- 
ney !  Half  an  hour  the  conflict  has  been  raging,  yet 
the  storming  column  has  been  unable  to  capture  the 
fort     The  supporting  -iofumn  (of  which  the  Fifty-fifth 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC   COURAGE    ANJ)   SELF-SACRIFICE.     507 

Massachusetts  formed  a  part)  comes  up,  and  the  battle 
rages  more  fiercely.  What  a  work  of  death  is  here  1 
The  eastern  angle  of  the  fort  is  gained,  and  held  by 
three  hundred  brave  souls  against  the  onsets  of  a  superior 
enemy  for  over  two  hours.  Who  shall  tell  the  history 
of  these  hours,  with  their  deeds  of  valor  more  heroic 
than  the  thought  of  man  can  compass  ?  It  will  never 
be  written;  for  the  brave  and  good  perished  unseen,  and 
the  gathering  darkness  of  death  and  night  covered  the 
wounds  of  heroes.  In  the  stronghold  of  the  enemy  the 
patriot  died,  God  his  companion,  the  storm  of  battle  hia 
death-knell.  *****  "pj^e  assault  is  repulsed. 
The  small  band  of  heroes  who  have  fought  so  long  and 
so  earnestly  to  drive  the  rebels  from  the  fort,  retire 
from  Wagner,  and  pass  out  of  range  over  the  heaps  of 
their  dead  comrades.  For  nearly  three  long  hours  they 
have  fought  and  fought  in  vain ;  Wagner  cannot  be  car- 
ried by  assault.  As  our  forces  retire.  Sergeant  Carney, 
who  Has  kept  the  colors  of  his  regiment  Hying  upon  the 
parapet  of  Wagner  during  the  entire  conflict,  is  seen 
creeping  along  on  one  knee,  still  holding  up  the  flag, 
and  only  yielding  his  sacred  trust  upon  finding  an  officer 
of  his  regiment.  As  he  enters  the  field  hospital,  where 
his  wounded  comrades  are  being  brought  in,  they  cheer 
him  and  the  colors.  Though  nearly  exhausted  with 
the  loss  of  blood,  he  says,  '■  Boys,  the  old  flag  never 
touched  the  ground.'" 

In  the  disastrous  fight  near  Guntown,  Mississippi, 
when  the  irresolution  and  mismanagement  of  tho 
Union  commander,  a  mismanagement  generally  attri- 
buted to  intoxication,  resulted  in  one  of  the  most  dis- 
graceful defeats  an  i  retreats  in  the  annals  of  the  war,  it 


608    DEEDS   OF   HEKOIC   COURAGE  AND   SELF-SACRIFICE. 

was  the  half  drilled  colored  troops,  most  of  them  under 
fire  for  the  first  time,  who,  when  the  white  troops  were 
completely  demoralized  and  panic-stricken  by  the  failure 
of  their  commander,  fought  with  the  utmost  desperation, 
and  kept  back  the  rebels  until  their  white  comrades  and 
a  portion  of  the  train  could  make  good  their  escape. 
One  of  the  ammunition  wagons  was  near  them,  and  the 
brave  fellows,  with  the  intention  of  maintaining  their 
resistance  to  the  last,  filled  the  breasts  of  their  shirts 
with  cartridges,  and  fired  away  till  the  cartridges  had 
become  so  moist  with  perspiration  that  they  could 
not  be  fired.  But  they  accomplished  their  object,  and 
having  held  the  rebels  at  bay  for  some  hours  they 
fiinally  retreated,  bringing  up  the  rear  of  the  Union 
forces. 

In  the  Virginia  campaign  of  1864,  "Burnside's 
Smoked  Yankees,"  as  they  were  called  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  fought  with  a  stubbornness  and  tenacity 
which  was  surpassed  by  no  troops  in  the  army.  Know- 
ing that  their  doom  was  sealed  if  they  were  captured 
(for  murder,  or  a  slavery  worse  than  death,  was  the  fate 
reserved  by  the  rebels  for  the  colored  troops),  they 
fought  to  the  death,  and  often  accomplished  more  than 
their  svhite  comrades.  In  the  capture  of  the  outer  line 
of  forts  around  Petersburg  they  were  particularly  active 
and  efficient.  It  is  related,  in  regard  to  their  assault  on 
one  of  these,  that  having  carried  it,  and  being  with  some 
difficulty  restrained  from  avenging  the  massacre  of  Fort 
Pillow  on  the  rebel  garrison,  a  colored  lieutenant,  who 
was  just  then  the  senior  officer  in  command,  demanded 
the  surrender  of  the  fort  from  the  rebel  commander. 
The  latter,  a  po  npous  Virginian,  replied,  that  "  he  would 


DEEDS   OF    IIEKOIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIl'ICE.     509 

be  d d  if  he  would  surrender  as  a  prisoner  to  a  nigger ;" 

the  colored  lieutenant  remonstrated,  and  urged  his  sui> 
render,  but  the  Virginian,  probably  hoping  that  a  white 
ofiicer  would  be  sunnnoned  to  receive  his  surrender, 
refused  still  more  peremptorily.  "  Very  well,"  said  the 
negro  officer,  "  I  have  offered  you  your  life,  and  yon 
wont  have  it ;  you  may  stay  here ;"  and  seizing  a  mus- 
ket from  the  hands  of  one  of  his  men  he  pinned  the 
rebel  officer  to  the  earth  with  the  bayonet. 

The  most  remarkable  acts  of  heroism  related  of  the 
colored  troops,  however,  were  those  which  occured  at 
Port   Hudson.     At  the  time  of  the  siege  of  that  strong- 
hold, there  were  but  few  colored  troops  in  the  army. 
Two  or  three  regiments  had  been  raised  in  New  Orleans, 
and  had  joined  General  Banks'  army  before  Port  Hudson. 
Twice,  it  will  be  recollected.  General  Banks  attempted 
to  carry  the  rebel  fortress  by  assault.     On  the  second 
occasion,  June  U,  1863,  General  H.  E.  Paine,  leading 
his  troops,  was  severely  wounded  in  the  leg,  while  far 
in  advance,  and  left  upon  the  ground,  while  his  troops 
were  driven  back  several  hundred  yards  by  the  constant 
and  deadly  fire  of  the  enemy,  who  swept  the  whole  field 
with  their  artillery.     It  was  of  course  of  great  importance 
to  bring  the  general  off  the  field,  or  if  this  should  prove 
impossible,  to  furnish  him  with  water  and  food,  and  to 
stanch  the  bleeding  from  his  wound.     His  adjutant-gene- 
ral called  for  volunteers  to  go  to  his  relief  and  bring 
him  off,  if  possible ;  but  the  men  looked  upon  the  wide 
plain,  swept  with  a  constant  artillery  fire  under  which 
nothing  could    live,  and    though  the    adjutant-general 
offered  large  rewards  not  a  man  could  be  found  wilhng 
to  risk  the  almo«t  ine  itabh  death  wliich  would  follow 


b\0    DEEDS   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE    AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

the  attempt.     In  vain  the  officer  plead  and  urged  ;  the 
men  could  not  be  induced  to  take  the  risk. 

But  now  stepped  forward  a  little  squad  of  colored  men 
from  the  "Corps  .d'Afrique,"  as  General  Banks  liad 
named  them,  and  one  of  them  acting  as  spokesman  for 
the  rest  said  to  the  adjutant:  "  We'se  been  thinking,  sar, 
dat  dere's  got  to  be  a  good  many  killed  in  this  war,  'fore 
our  people  can  get  deir  freedom,  and  p'raps  it  may  aa 
well  be  we  as  anybody  else ;  so  if  you  please,  sar,  we'll 
go  after  the  general."  The  adjutant-general,  as  may  be 
supposed,  readily  accepted  their  offer,  and  there  being 
sixteen  of  the  volunteers,  they  formed  into  fours,  and 
the  first  squad,  with  a  stretcher  and  supplies  of  water, 
etc.,  moved  off  steadily  across  that  fire-swept  plain.  The 
first  fifty  yards  were  hardly  passed  when  one  of  the  four 
was  struck  down ;  his  companions  did  not  stop,  but  pressed 
forward,  when  another  and  another,  and  finally  the  fourth 
fell.  Without  uttering  a  word  or  hesitating  a  moment, 
the  second  squad  of  four  stepped  out,  similarly  equipped, 
to  traverse  the  field  of  death.  They,  too,  were  all  smit* 
ten  down,  though  they  had  approached  nearer  to  the 
general  than  the  first.  Instantly  and  without  a  moment's 
delay,  a  third  squad  of  four  went  forward  on  the  perilous 
journey.  Two  of  these  fell  wounded,  but  the  other  two 
reached  the  general,  and  though  unable  to  bring  him  off, 
allayed  his  thrist,  and  remained  near  him  amid  the  fiery 
hail  till  evening,  when  he  was  carried  to  the  bivouac  of 
the  troops.  These  last  two  had  also  been  wounded,  but 
not  severely.  We  think  it  is  no  impeachment  of  the 
courage  of  the  white  troops  to  say  that  in  no  battle  of 
the  war  have  they  ever  exhibited  a  cool  and  deliberate 
oourage  surpassing  this 


DEEDS   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE.     511 


GENERAL  RANSOM, 

IN   THE   ASSAULT   ON   VICKSBUEO. 

The  arm}'  has  lost  no  braver  or  nobler  officer,  in  all 
that  constitutes  soldierly  character  and  ability,  than 
General  T.  E.  G.  Ransom.  Like  the  French  Chevalier 
Bayard,  he  was  alike  ^'sans  peur  et  sans  reproche,^* 
without  fear  and  without  reproach.  Numerous  in- 
stances arc  recorded  of  his  calm  and  mai^nificent 
courage;  one  of  the  most  remarkable  is  an  incident 
appertaining  to  the  assault  on  Vicksburg,  on  the  22d  of 
May,  1863.  His  brigade  formed  a  part  of  the  charging 
column  that  day,  and  as  it  advanced  toward  the  rebel 
breastworks  a  storm  of  grape  and  canister  swept  through 
it  from  an  enfilading  battery,  killing  or  wounding  many 
officers,  and  for  an  instant  checking  the  whole  move- 
ment. Perceiving  that  the  men  wavered.  General  Ran- 
som seized  the  colors  of  a  regiment,  and  rushing  to  the 
from,  waved  them  over  his  head,  and  shouted,  "  For- 
waTd,  men!  We  must  and  will  go  into  that  fort. 
Who  will  follow  me?"  Inspirited  by  this  action,  the 
column  rallied  about  its  intrepid  leader,  and  gained  the 
ditch  in  front  of  the  fort.  But  the  strength  of  the  posi- 
tion and  the  commanding  fire  of  the  enemy  satisfied 
him  that  the  assault  would  prove  only  a  useless  sacn- 
fice  of  life.  Then,  placing  himself  at  a  conspicuous 
point,  he  addressed  his  men  in  a  loud,  clear  voice,  as 
follows  :  ''  Men  of  the  second  brigade  !  we  cannot  mriin- 
lain  this  position.     You  must  retire    o  the  co^  er  of  that 


512     DEED?^   OF   HEROIC    COURAGE   AND    SELF-SACRIFICE. 

ravine,  one  regiment  at  a  time."  He  then  announced 
the  order  of  retiring,  regiment  by  regiment,  and  added : 
**  The  first  man  who  runs  or  goes  beyond  that  ravine, 
shall  be  shot.  Iiclll  stand  here,  and  see  how  you  do  it." 
And  there,  in  full  range  of  the  enemy's  fire,  he  mounted 
a  stump,  from  which  he  could  see  his  entire  command, 
folded  his  arms,  and  watched  the  movement,  himself  the 
most  exposed  man  of  the  whole  brigade.  A  captain  of 
the  Seventy-second  Illinois,  who  had  been  intimate 
with  Ransom  beiore  the  war,  crawled  on  his  hands 
and  knees  to  tho  foot  of  the  stump,  and  begged 
the  general  to  leave  a  position  of  so  much  danger. 
Turning  his  flashing  eyes  upon  the  captain  for  an 
instant,  Eansom  said,  with  an  emphasis  that  com- 
manded obedience,  ^^ Silencer  and  remained  where  he 
was  until  the  movement  was  accomplished. 

At  the  battle  of  Sabine  crossroads,  where,  as  usual,  he 
was  always  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  inspiriting  his 
men  by  his  presence,  he  was  severely  wounded  in  the 
left  knee.  On  the  day  following  the  battle  four  surgeons 
examined  the  wound  at  Pleasant  Hill,  and  were  divided 
in  their  opinion — two  being  in  favor  of  amputation 
while  the  other  two  deemed  it  unnecessary.  The  gen- 
eral, who  was  an  interested  listener  to  the  conversation, 
raised  himself  on  his  couch  and  said :  "  Well,  gentle- 
men, as  the  house  is  equally  divided  on  this  subject,  I 
will,  as  chairman  of  the  meeting,  decide  the  question, 
I  shall  retain  the  wounded  leg,  loss  included." 


THE    END. 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THi;  LIBRARY  Ob  THE 

I'MVKRSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

Al 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wilmer 
159 


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